Be Very Afraid of the Dark
by Warrior-of-Darkness015
Summary: A story with OC's and characters/events from 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark', when Yang Hiachi makes his son Bane Asakura a Ghoul and tries to kill him, he manages to escape...only to be rescued by Kami Kurosaki and made into his powerful new apprentice...how will this change things against Michael Darkstone? Read/review and find out!
1. Chapter 1

**Be Very Afraid of the Dark**

 **Chapter 1**

 **This story is based on my other X-Men story Don't Be Afraid of the Dark...hence the title and same cast of characters...with Kami Kurosaki and Yang Hiachi switching roles a bit (Kami as a good guy and Yang as a much stronger bad guy with a vengeance against his old master) and how it'll affect the Ghouls, Humans, Mutants as well as Bane himself...R &R and enjoy. Michael Darkstone, the main villain of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark as well as his allies and enemies like Azazel will make appearances as well as Yang will join Michael in Kami's place to kill mutants in his former master's place.**

* * *

 **Bane was the son of Tsume Asakura and Yang Hiachi, the most odd couple to be found anywhere as neither of them was fully human with Tsume being a mutant with the ability to use her shadow in a variety of ways, including possessing another person's body and Yang, a Ghoul...a being with a variety of elemental/magical based powers and abilities. Bane, as far as his genes were concerned, was a little but equal balance of both...with the right training he could be stronger than both of them, but Yang despised him for that same reason.**

 **Yang Hiachi was clear that he didn't want to be stuck with the young Asakura but knew that if he lets him go free, it would come back to bite him later...so instead, he takes care of him, as in making sure he was in as much pain for as long as possible and too afraid to even go outside, thinking he would escape which he was dead set on doing...he also tries to eat him occasionally, thrilled by his screams.**

Yang Hiachi was a cold, ruthless and almost demonic Ghoul in nature when compared to others of his kind as his cold red eyes looked down on Bane, who his wife has forbidden him from laying a finger on. The young 16 year old was playing indoor, having no friends or the luxary of leaving his house without supervision, a rule Yang enforced brutally.

"Poor little Bane...come to daddy" Yang's hand reached for the 16 year old, who was very knowledgeable of his father's cruelty, having hated him since he witness him beating and abusing Tsume...it was clear he was very dominant in the relationship despise never doing such a thing since and divorce was out of the question as he'd warned her that he'd absolutely destroy them both if she dared to divorce him but like him, she was a fighter as a shadow came from nowhere and lunged at Yang's throat, but missed as he flipped away and landed silently before sitting on the floor, not seeing her as a valuable enough threat as his red eyes glowed "What do you think you're doing, woman?" Yang growled lowly, his red eyes glowing ominously as Tsume defended her son.

Bane smiled at his mother, the one thing keeping him alive and sane here, but that didn't go down well for Yang, who didn't like seeing any kind of joy on Bane's face as he grit his teeth, they'd fought not two days ago and he'd wanted to get even ever since...now was his chance to be rid of her once and for all while she thinks she has him backed against the wall as she embraced her son, completely forgetting about her sadistic husband creeping into her blind spot as her shadows moved closer to the two and lunged at Tsume.

Bane's world turned to real horror as Yang said "I think that's about enough of that to last a lifetime" as Tsume looked down to see Yang's arm through her stomach holding Bane's neck tightly.

"See what you made me do, you human piece of shit?" Yang threatened and tightened his grip when he saw Bane mouth something _'Anata wa nano o kami wa nashi, kanojo o toru mae ni, watashi wa konojo no ikutsu ka no wakare no okurimono o iu nodesu ka?'_ (What do you say I give her some parting gifts before God takes her, no?) as Bane was shaking with fear muttering "No, please...no" knowing his father was intent on hurting him or even killing him and his mother was the only thing preventing Yang from laying hands on him as he growled throwing Tsume against the nearest wall as he held Bane's head with the other, cleaner hand. He was rarely ever fazed by the sight of scent of blood.

"Someone will find out...and hunt you down" Bane said barely as his father choked him a bit tighter and Tsume was still alive, but barely as Yang proceeds to rip Bane's shirt off and rub the tender skin on his neck lightly with a demented smirk "What makes you think I care, I plan to enjoy my meal fully with no interruption and whoever gets in my way is dog food" he bites down hard on Bane's neck as the boy screams, swears, cries and fights to get free, Yang beginning to love the taste of his son as he pulled away and glares at him before smiling evilly and backhands him hard in the face and knocking him to the ground, luckily his neck wasn't broken but he was knocked unconscious with a slight concussion.

* * *

 **Yang, having rid himself of Tsume, decides to go to a cabin he owned in a desolate part of the forest with Bane, he already had it laid with explosive magic traps in a two and a half mile radius to ensure that no one or nothing can get to or away from the cabin without him knowing or them being blown to the moon...little did he know, a group of Ghouls were watching him. Elsewhere, in the City of the Ghouls, the Ghoul Lord, Kami Kurosaki was just returning from a hunt...Kami suffered from something a healing factor couldn't heal, depression, as they'd finished with a hunt that was meant to but failed to make his current mood any better as the Hunters laughed and talked with occasional jokes while Kami was the only one with a serious face, that made some think he was displeased and angry but it was quite the opposite as the Hunters took notice.**

"Lord Kami..." One of the Ghouls said as Kami's blue eyes fell from the darkening sky with a quiet "Hm, what is it?"

"Is something wrong, sir?" the Ghoul asked as Kami shook his head "I'm just worried about my old Master...why did he leave, I wonder?" He asked himself and he decided to leave the Hunters be.

Kami decided to journey to his home alone but was joined by someone who usually never leaves his side since his master's disappearance, Tsujin who was one of his personal bodyguards, despite his fit but not muscular enough build for Kami's taste, as well as his advisor...something that suited him better than being anyone's bodyguard.

"Something seems to be bothering you, Kami-sama..." Tsujin said as Kurosaki shrugs, not looking at him with a calm "Hm..."

"I've received word from the Hunters you had assigned to look for-" Kami glared at him before he said the name of that certain Ghoul as Tsujin cleared his throat "...anyway, a scouting group saw _him_ leaving the nearby human city...with a human boy in tow, he heard sounds of him arguing with a female inside but no woman left the house he's supposedly been staying in"

"Let those baka keep an eye on them..." Kami walked off, but turned to show his burning eyes "...if they fail to do so, they'll answer to me" he showed his black flame, Amaterasu, burning and crackling in his palm...Kami's personality could flip from a kind man to the demon that was on his mask in seconds but preferred peace over war most times despite his love for testing his mettle and fighting prowess. He was far from the type of Ghoul Lord that just sat around all day giving orders either.

"As you wish, Kurosaki-sama" Tsujin bowed as Kami decided to go home, as he said to himself "So it has begun, huh?"

"Tell them _not_ to attack him, no matter what happens" Kami added as Tsujin said "Yes, milord, right away." He left, Kami was curious why he was in such a hurry but decided to follow him some other time.

 **Kami went home and chose to meditate, but anyone who got a good look at the Ghoul Lord couldn't tell that he was hurt due to his suppression of those feelings from others, his own student...banished and his master...disappeared to who knows where, leaving him with more responsibility and regrets than he thinks he can handle. Elsewhere, Bane woke up in a cabin...he didn't know where he was but he was sure that it was part of some cruel plan his evil father had planned for him.**

Bane went to the window, something was outside but he couldn't see what...it seems that Yang wasn't there though as Bane felt like he was set ablaze...his whole body was burning up and he'd had enough fevers to know this was no mere fever and he still had the bite wounds he had when he last saw his mother as he fought the fear to open the door to leave, tears in his eyes.

He managed to open the door, his throat feeling too crushed to speak but what had him frozen in place was that Yang stood between him and freedom...something was different about him tonight though, his eyes shimmered with no good intentions for the human in them and he didn't even look like himself anymore but Bane pushed him aside to get out - which he did too easily - until he discovered that it wasn't him and now, Yang was onto him as he heard a noise like an avalanche

 _'An avalanche...in the middle of summer?'_ Bane thought until he saw something coming straight at him but he jumped into a nearby bush and Yang doesn't seem to have seen him as he set down bags of what looks like food on the floor as he went from supersonic to zero in no time flat.

"Bane, get up and eat now" Yang ordered only to discover his son was gone as he went back outside. Bane was in the bushes, trying to control himself but he was shaking with fear and rage...not that he could do much, for if Yang found him, he would have no chance to escape ever again but he still can't understand how Yang is so much stronger and faster than a normal human, he can run or fly at supersonic speeds and could see and hear a pin drop on Earth possibly from the moon. It was like he had the wind itself at his command

Suddenly, Yang disappears from Bane's sight in an instant as his eyes widen as a red tail came up behind him and he could feel Yang's hateful glowing eyes boring into him "You think I'll allow you to escape so easily, now that you're in my grasp, did you?"

 **Bane had no time to gasp as he was thrown out of the bushes but managed to scratch at Yang's eyes with a sharp rock he managed to grab when Yang had caught him.**

 **The Ghoul snarled as he held his eyes, walking over to him and narrowly missing his head with a stomp that cracked the ground.**

Bane started bleeding from the mouth and tried to run screaming "Leave me alone!" his voice showed a massive amount of fear but Yang grabbed his chin length jet black hair roughly and dragged him to the door and slams his face against the hard oak door.

"I'll soften you up first...nice and tender" Yang whispered in his ear as he licked his lips "then I'll have myself another slow feeding"

Yang dragged him inside, but noticed that he wasn't begging like the last time, his face was plain and cold with a very distant, unnerved rage in his red eyes.

 **The next time Bane woke up, he noticed that he was laying on the stairs inside the small shack that was somehow two stories from the inside but not from the outside and quickly rose to see that it was night time but he felt no need to sleep whatsoever, just like he'd never seen Yang sleep. Yang wasn't far, sitting at a table going over a city wide set of plans and schematics, he also several swords, daggers and sharp weapons on his desk...a big dinner table he took from his home where he killed Tsume. What caught Bane's eyes was that there were many gemstones among them that he'd never seen before. Yang didn't acknowledge his presence or that he was awake and the blood on the corner of his mouth was definitely not his, but Bane's blood by the teeth marks all over his body.**

 _'Sorehanandesuka?'_ (What is that?) Bane asks as he was still ignored, Yang clearly more caught up in his work as he muttered "I have to get back in and kill him..."

He grabbed the dagger and one of the stones, which was green in color as a Wind element gem used to imbue said element into a weapon "I'm no blacksmith though...sadly."

Yang was well aware that Bane was there but gave no sign of it as Bane was given a few distasteful stares as he thought _'Kill who?'_

Bane's hand reached for his father's face as Yang sank his teeth into his arm "I'll have to take your life as well, sadly...the old fool can't have you now, my boy" he warned as he pulled Bane's hair roughly, earning a scream as a fist put him out again.

"Sleep tight..." Yang said, the last thing Bane seeing was Yang at the door with a sadistic, bloody grin on his face as he closed the door as Bane fell unconscious.

 **Several hours passed and Bane was still unconscious, within his mind, his body was bathed in a light purple light as a mostly red ember drew him closer and spoke, which surprised the young man.**

 _"Bane..."_ The flame flickered as a voice he couldn't recognise beckons him to it _"Embrace our power...if you perish here, so shall I and I do not wish to die any more than you do"_

 _'Anata wa dono yō na dare ka?'_ (Who or what are you?) Bane asks as the flame replied ' _Anata no uchinaru honō...Iwaba, watashi wa watashitachi no hi ga sō kantan ni shōmetsu suru koto o kyoka shimasen...Okiro!'_ (Your inner flame...so to speak and I won't allow our fire to be extinguished so easily...Get up!)

 **Bane was wide awake now, but refused to open his eyes...hearing not one but two voices in the room with him and gladly, none of them were Yang's.**

 _"Omoshiroi, sore wa e iru ka dake possamu o ensō shimasu ka?"_ (Interesting, is it dead or just playing possum?) One of the Ghouls glanced at Bane before glancing at the other Ghoul with him, who looked at him incredulously ' _Nē, shushin wa anata ga sono yōna koto o iu no o kiku koto was dekimasen ka, kare wa, anata o nokkuauto shite inai baai no akka kanōsei ga arimasu'_ (Hey, don't let Lord Kami hear you say something like that or he might knock you out, if not worse)

 **The two decided to leave their argument for later and tend to Bane before Yang reappears on them...that would be bad and worse would be testing Kami's patience if Yang let them live long enough to go back to the Ghoul Lord...** _ **if**_ **he did.**

 _'Anata ga koko ni ikinokoru tame ni... Sono otoko o esukēpu shitai baai wa, koko kara watashitachi ni mairu o mitashimasu'_ (Meet us a mile from here if you wish to escape that man...to survive here) one of the men said as he showed Bane the city map he saw Yang with as the other retorted _'Watashitachi wa osoku suru koto wa dekimasenga, izureka no hōhō wa, watashitachi wa itsu demo sugu ni koko modossa remasen... Isshūkan koko ni arimasu'_ (We have only a week here...we can't be late but either way, we won't be back here anytime soon)

All Bane could do was nod as he fought to stay conscious, his father was much stronger than he looked and stated that he very clearly dispised him and Tsume, who Bane couldn't think of right now without crying "Mo-ther"

The men then looked at him again as their sclera turned black and their pupils changed color as he gasped silently at the swift movements of their heads as unconsciousness took over again.

 **Bane decided that he would take the Ghouls up on their offer, but first he had to see where Yang goes to when he leaves him alone then evade him, in order to keep his promise to two strangers he'd just met that treated him better than his own blood even though they didn't have to.**

Yang returned to the house to find that Bane had taken up one of the three bedrooms in their home, that didn't bother him in the slightest but he checked on him anyway to make sure he was there "Oy, Asakura...what are you up to?"

No answer...something he expected, since he doesn't have any interest in having a bond of any kind, even less with Bane than Tsume.

Yang sensed anger in the young man in waves before even hearing or seeing him as he sat on a lonely bed he'd taken for his own, he and Yang glaring daggers at each other upon seeing each other.

 _'It seems he was aware of my presence...good, but this also means he's willing to fight tooth and nail to survive as much as I am to kill him'_ Yang thought as Bane snarled, biting back tears "Don't you dare touch me, I'll make you pay for what you've done..." Yang was about to reach out and throttle him but stopped as Bane's hand protected the area Yang had bitten him when Tsume died as he smirked, searching his eyes for something he may be hiding _'Yakunitatanai... Ueniiku to watashi o tameshite mite, watashi wa sono meinu de okonatta yō ni watashi wa anata o tsubushimasu yo'_ (Useless...go on and try me and I'll crush you just like I did with that bitch)

That snapped a nerve in Bane, literally, as he lunged at Yang "Don't you dare talk about my mother like that, you murderous monster!" He lunged at Yang with a rather fast punch, fast enough that he'd almost hit the Ghoul square across the mouth as he looked him in the eye, dodging faster than he moved "Interesting...but get the idea that you're any match for the likes of me out of your head as fast and soon as possible" he retaliated without holding back as his knee knocked the air out of his stomach as he defied gravity to do a close ranged spin kick to the chest and face, sending him back to the remarkably strong bed that somehow survived the onslaught as Bane's blurry vision saw Yang over him as he bit at his hand which caressed his cheek and he smelled something off on Bane as he grabbed him by the throat and pinned him hard against the wall "Don't cry, I won't kill you...just yet, Bane Hiachi!" He slammed him harder on the wall head first as Bane glared venomously at him for the change in his name.

Yang dropped him and stalked out like nothing ever happened, after nearly strangling him and went back downstairs to find his property just as he had previously left it, Bane followed only when he could no longer hear Yang's nearly silent footsteps.

"Who was here?" Yang said firmly with a glare over his shoulder as Bane bit back "No one, we're in the middle of nowhere"

Yang thought for a moment, it was true that they were in the middle of nowhere and far from anyone else's reach...at least any humans reach, but they weren't human and Ghouls tend to attract other Ghouls unless it's their preference to shy away and be alone as he left the room without a word.

 **The following day, Yang was to leave again but this time Bane was to follow him though, by now Yang was almost fairly certain that Bane had company the day before and did a comb of his territory, which was pretty big to Bane but very small to Yang's point of view.**

Yang disappears into the forest quickly, leaving the door unlocked as a threat was enough for Bane to not leave and let him know of it.

Bane came out and pursued his father...he knew he couldn't keep up with Yang (yet) but he didn't want or need to as he made it to where he heard Yang's voice but quickly hid.

Yang seemed to be checking on an intricate trap he'd set for if Bane should he stumble upon it while escaping, which he's bound to do if Yang knew him and he had enough time to silently watch him to know as he looked at the shiny reflective chime metal of the bear trap redesigned by Yang to tear off any foot it catches cleanly, leaving something he could track to finish off whatever was caught, should it escape before he finds them.

Yang growled as he spotted Bane in the reflection behind him "Ooh, I'll pick my teeth with your bones if it's the last thing I do!" Yang snarled as he formed blades of wind on his hands as he turned and attacks as the blades lengthened to unique bladed whips as he shredded the trees and narrowly missed Bane every time.

* * *

 **The attacks had stopped as Yang figured he'd already killed Bane or he somehow escaped, but out of fear, Bane didn't as a final surprise attack hit Bane in the back of his head and sent him flying face first through many trees before coming to a stop. Elsewhere, The Ghouls that Bane met had already returned to the city...when Kami heard that there was confirmation that a child was in fact with Yang, he hoped to find his banished student soon enough but knew it was very unlikely right now. As long as he got the child, he could lure his stubborn student to him**

Kami had just made it to his home when he felt but didn't hear someone appear behind him but stopped and said "What is it?"

"Your assumptions have been confirmed, Kami-sama" The taller of the two said in a deep baritone as he and the other Ghoul was still kneeling, which sometimes annoyed Kami "Where's Yang and this gaki?" He was too calm for even himself to handle and they'll regret it if they didn't answer him.

"We don't know, milord, he wasn't with the boy when we found him" the other said "We've been combing the area for some time though, but so had he since we last met the boy"

"Take me there then...I'd like to see this myself" Kami said, hoping adamantly that they'd cross paths with Yang as the two looked at each other replying "Are you...sure, Kami-sama?"

"Yeah..." Kami said with a look that they didn't want to know what he'd do if Bane died because they left him there in the first place "I've been sure for a very long time now"

The two Ghouls went back the way they came as Kami whispers to himself _'Masutā, watashi wa dokoni ite mo... Anata wa hokori ni omotte iru negatte imasu'_ (Master, I hope you're proud...wherever you are) Yang looked at a picture of a himself with his student, Yang and a man with black hair, light red eyes on white sclera dressed finely with a sagely and wise grin which belied how openly perverted he was, which caused fist fights between him and Kami despite Kami never defeating him.

Kami stood at over seven feet six inches (eight by now) with his master dwarfed at a little over five feet and Yang being the shortest of the three barely, at exactly five feet as he quickly put the memento away and followed the Ghouls.

* * *

 **As soon as Kami set foot in the forest, he could sense that something powerful was there...hurt and injured in more ways than one. It was also torn between fighting to stay alive and just embracing death's call. Whatever it was, Kami knew it was dangerous and hoped it didn't think of him as a threat.**

It's only been a few minutes and Kami's patience was waring thin as he fought the urge to complain, as he intended to spend most of the rest of his day alone.

 _[Bane takes a weak breath]_

Suddenly, Kami felt like he was struck straight through the brain by a spark of lightning and stopped dead in his tracks as he sensed Bane's life force and it was fading quickly despite the fight he was putting up, which surprised Kami _'Korehadarou ka?'_ (Could this be?) Kami muttered, completely unconscious of it.

"...It is..." Kami said, earning a look from the hunters before speeding past them and stopping a distance away with a look of horror and rage written all over his face as he slowly walked over to Bane, face down in the wet forest and carefully lifted him into a sitting position.

"It's him..." One of the Ghouls said slowly as Kami, was now visibly enraged...whoever did this wasn't going to have to beg Kami to kill them when he's through with them as he lifted the youngster in his arms "Who did this?" Kami's voice was cold and he exuded a scary black aura as his eyes glowed black glaring back at the men whispering "Tell me or so help me..."

"He was alone in a shack not far from here" the Ghoul said averting his eyes from Kami's "however, the area was littered with intricate traps and we were lucky to even make it to the door."

"We're heading back then..." Kami walked past them, his temper subsided a bit but he was still bothered as to why Bane was here and smelled like a human...even though he was already a Ghoul by Kami's eyes.

"Where are you taking him?" One of the Ghouls, Sozin asked as Kami stared at him for a moment "Care to stop me from taking the boy, boke?" Kurosaki challenged childishly as both men shook their heads "Let's go then"

* * *

 **Kami and the Ghouls decide to return to the city with an unconscious Bane Asakura, meanwhile Yang had returned to the house hoping Bane had returned there, as unlikely as it was, but he was gone which only fuelled his very bad mood. The last thing he wanted was someone to find him and even worse if it's his former master, Kami.**

Yang entered his home, not even bothering to call out to Bane as he looked around with his sharp vision picking up any movement but he could tell now that Bane, being more intelligent and afraid of him that he thought, wasn't there as he clenched his fist as he went back outside to calm himself but it failed as he ended up punching a tree "Kami...Bane, I swear you'll both regret this."

"Calm yourself, Yang...you can think of a way to use this to your advantage" Yang said to himself with a deep calming breath "but two can play at that game...Kami Kurosaki"

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Bane has woken up to find that he was alive but somewhere completely unfamiliar to him with three older men in the room with him...Kami was not there but ready to lure him to where he was.**

 _'Koko de watashi wa, anata ga hito daredesuka?'_ (Where am I and who are you people?) Bane asks as the three Ghouls looked at him "Run..." Then, without warning and with inhuman reflexes, they jump and stomp the bed to pieces and narrowly missed Bane as he ran out of the room and into a city of half a million more Ghouls who seemed not at all that concerned who he was as his head ached, Kami had used a telepathic spell on him while he was unconscious in order to guide Bane to him.

 _'Over here...no, here'_ Kami's voice tried to guide the stubborn newcomer to him before he snapped and forced Bane's spinning head to stop where he wanted _'This way now...'_ Bane then runs down the intended path.

Once Bane is gone, a Ghoul appears where he just was to see something had slipped out of his pocket, a picture of Tsume which he curiously takes on his way to Kami via a shortcut.

* * *

 **Bane made his way down the street, little did he know that before he could see Kami, he'd have to overcome three tasks to prove himself. They're not easy but Kami thinks Bane has what it takes.**

Bane ran as fast as he could, the voice guiding him only to a part of the city with less Ghouls...or Ghouls that prefer to remain out of sight, Bane didn't know why but at the same time didn't want to find out

"Oy, newbie" a male voice called out to Bane who stopped and looked back to see a man standing in the middle of a downright deserted looking park waking at him as his face was cold and serious waving at him "fight me if you wish to see Kami-sama, I'll test you on how worthy you are..."

The man was about Bane's height but relatively older than him and was too muscular if you asked Bane "You're crazy if think I'm fighting anyone...and who's this Kami?"

Bane didn't,t know that him stepping up to the Ghoul was taken as a challenge until he was punched in the gut and knocked him back as he smirked, hitting the same spot with an elbow at seemingly sonic speed "Still standing I see...let the test begin"

Bane was forced to one knee as he growled "What test?"

"I am Hanzo...and I am here to test your physical endurance" Hanzo clarified "I ain't allowed to kill you, but I can and will bring you as close as possible to the door of Shinigami-sama...hit me at least once and you pass" but when the dust cleared, Bane was gone _'Anata wa sore ga watashi ni doroppu o shutoku suru no ni jūbundato sorehodo shizukada... Shikashi arimasen'_ (You're quiet...but not that much that it's enough to get the drop on me) Hanzo sensed Bane coming from above him and with inhuman speed was gone without Bane seeing him move and held him in an arm lock "You're just full of tricks, aren't you?" He saw nothing but pain in Bane's red eyes but was stopped when Bane snarled "Boke, let go!" Throwing his head back and hitting Hanzo in the face hard enough that the Ghoul let him go and stumbled back holding his face.

Bane couldn't believe what he'd just done as he saw the Ghoul bleeding and glaring at him with his hand over the bleeding wound and Hanzo looked as pissed as Bane looked mortified but he smiled and stepped out of Bane's way "Go before I change my mind...the next Ghoul you face won't go down easily, so my only advice would be to be very careful"

* * *

 **Bane left with that little advice and a few metres away noticed that he was being watched by a Ghoul that was considered one of the best fighters in the city, not including Kami...he was also cold and unforgiving and even described as a monster by Ghouls he'd fought already. He was the renowned fighting master, Ryuken Slalzar who had a scar on his forehead as a huge X shape that earned him the nickname Scar. He also had Tsujin's twin brother, Raimundo with him. Raimundo was a slacker compared to Tsujin as he was a huge whiner and too curious for Scar's taste with a short lollypop stick ever present in his mouth.**

"Where's nii-san?" Raimundo scowled slightly but wouldn't dare let Scar see it "the kid's s'posed to take us one at a time if what Kami-sama said was right"

"Stop whining, Rai..." Scar shot a glare his way then smiled "Kami told _me_ that the plan you're talking about would waste too much time"

"He looks familiar...like that arrogant Hiachi, I assume Kami already knows this?" Raimundo said noticing that Bane must know they're watching him "He's quite the interesting and perceptive one, ain't he?"

Scar watched Bane for a minute before shaking his head "that he is..." He scowled inwardly that he was Yang's blood but smirked that the teen was so aware of his surroundings "Let's go say hi" the two jumped from their hiding spot in the trees.

 **With Bane, he'd made it closer to where he was being guided by Kami, but something told him this was easy...too easy.**

Bane has been walking for some time and was growing impatient and a bit concerned, he'd tried to learn as much as he could about Ghouls with what little information there was that was actually true as he felt like he was being watched as he stopped and looked around "Hello, who's there?"

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Ryuken and Raimundo were hiding a bit closer to Bane and watching, surprised that his senses were accurate enough that he did not know where they were, but knew that he certainly wasn't alone.**

 _'Omoshiroi'_ (Interesting) Raimundo said curiously looking at Scar, who had no initial reaction _'Kara wa watashitachi o sudeni shitte imasu ka?'_ (Is he that aware of us already?)

"So it seems..." Scar said, wanting to fight as Raimundo smirked "Shall we?"

Bane looked around "I know I'm not alone, come out or I'll force you out!"

Scar's serious expression hardened as the two came into Bane's sight "That, I'd love to see, kid"

"You're as impetuous, impatient and grouchy as your father" Raimundo scowled at the sight "otherwise, you're nothing like him...we came here to fight, not to sit around and have a conversation" Scar nodded in agreement, smirking sadistically despite his expression still being stone cold...Bane assumes that they have some connection to his father and Scar has a huge vendetta against him.

"I don't want to fight, I just want to know why I was brought to this place" Bane reasoned but the Ghoul only charged at him as Scar replied "We're not here to take requests, kid, we're here to end you"

"What?!" Raimundo and Bane both exclaimed as Bane somehow dodged Scar's punches and kicks that was seemingly with ease, which was a task for some of the city's best fighters, even Kami at times but he was doing it all while barely conscious of it.

 _'Watashi was watashi no me o shinjiru koto ga dekinai... Kono kodomo wa nanidesu ka?'_ (I can't believe my eyes...what is this kid?) He had to activate his Kakugan, which was moss green in color just to keep up with their movements which he still could do barely but they were wasting time as far as he was concerned as he concentrated, slowly raising his hands as he created a mini-earthquake to stop the two enough to gain their attention as Bane felt a bit dizzy.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Scar glared at Raimundo who merely gave a sly smile "He's endured this long...he passes at least my expectations"

Scar, whose real birth name was Ryuken Salazar, shot a menacing eye at the Ghoul "Fine, just as I was having fun and really getting into it" he said as he stopped attacking, leaving Bane to fall on his butt, slightly embarrassed but as amazed as the two adults that he wasn't beaten shitless _'Dono yō ni hazukashī... Iku anata wa pasu shi, anata wa sukuinushi ga kansha o matte iru koto o nozonde inaidarou'_ (How embarrassing...go, you pass and you wouldn't want to keep your savior waiting to be thanked) he pointed at a set of small, seemingly unoccupied or even abandoned houses just beyond the trees as Bane nodded and left.

Scar staring as he left before Tsujin asked "I noticed something...his shadow was moving completely opposite to his body almost like he was being controlled by his own shadow"

"You think he can weild it as a weapon...an extension of himself?" Scar didn't look completely convinced by this but it was hard to hide his curiosity.

"I'll follow him and keep an eye on that shadow of his, you coming?" Scar said as Raimundo shook his head "I'll pass, I'd rather imagine the look on Kami-sama's face than see the real thing" he turned and left.

 **Scar looked at his back as he left for a moment before going on his own way after Bane, meanwhile Tsujin had made it to the bar where Kami awaited Bane, who was on his way there.**

Kami hadn't moved much from his seat and wouldn't until Bane came to him, his head resting on his hand and elbow on the counter with his eyes closed and the dagger twirling on one finger in his other hand.

The moment he heard the door open, he threw the dagger at it but it wasn't Bane but Tsujin who stayed behind the door so the dagger wouldn't hit it's target, his temple, as Kami opened his eye "Who's there?"

"It's Tsujin, Kami-sama" Tsujin still wasn't used to the Ghoul Lord's sometimes violent demeanor _'Watashi wa anata ni kyōmi no aru mono o mitsuketa to omou'_ (I think I've found something of interest to you.)

Kami was alert "...and what's that?" Kami looked as Tsujin pulled something out of his pocket, the picture of Tsume as Tsujin replied "The boy dropped it on his way into the forest after he woke up...she seemed to be very dear to him"

"They have the same face...what a beauty" Kami muttered, almost forgetting Tsujin was there "I believe we've found the woman that was with Yang when the Hunters had found him...Bane's mother...I'll make sure this is returned to his possession myself"

Tsujin merely nodded and left, leaving Kami with the picture as he used an invisible string tied to his dagger to pull it back to him.

"He's almost here, but I still have one more trick up my sleeve" Kami said as he placed the picture on the counter and waited without a second glance at it.

* * *

 **The bar and a few other buildings were now in Bane's sight, he came up to one where a man sat at the front, seemingly asleep against his his three prized but apparently cursed swords. The man was apparently unlike the Ghouls that were in the city as any passing Ghoul would keep a safe distance from him as Bane would find out that Ghouls never sleep to begin with.**

Zoro Ryuma was a travelling sellsword that frequented this city due to how much Kami pays for his services and how well he was treated and respected for it her as compared to other Ghoul settlements he'd been to worldwide.

He was currently guarding the entrance to where Kami currently was and was feared as a wandering murderer due to his very low tolerance level and blinding skill at welding three swords at the same time, albeit cursed sword with deadly accuracy. He has bright green hair, slightly pale dry skin due to his habit of laying in the sun and grey eyes that even the steeliest of warriors couldn't look into as Bane came close, trying to sneak past the sadist but tripped ending up on the man's lap.

Ryuma's eyes opened slowly to glare at Bane as without word he grabs one of his swords and almost stabbed Bane, who rolled out of the way before being impailed as the sword stuck in the ground between the swordsman's legs.

"I am Zoro Ryuma...who are you?" Ryuma introduced himself as he could tell Bane was studying him, despite his lazy demeanor, which was a ruse, he was highly athletic, strong and extremely intelligent

"I have business in there, let me pass!" Bane demanded, ignoring the swordsman's request but looking up to see his cold, silvery gray eyes that froze him.

Ryuma, infuriated by Bane's disrespect throws the first sword, Ichigiri, right at Bane as he used the other two one above the other, almost mimicking the mouth of a tiger,

He reached Bane long before the third sword _'Tsuinsōdo Satsujin Geijutsu: Howaitotaigā'_ (Twin Sword Murder Art - White Tiger)

Bane managed the great feat of dodging the attack as Ryuma Zoro caught Ichigiri with grace behind him without looking "I'll wager you, kid...if you can hit me _once_ , then you'll get to see the man who's been guiding you the whole time from up here" Ryuma chuckled pointing at his head as he'd caught Bane's interest "If I get to take your life before that though, you're dead...win and I'll give you a sword from my collection of your choice to keep"

"Hell...no" Bane said but Ryuma still charged, no longer listening "Domo Arigato...meet you maker" He laughed as he held a sword in his mouth and the other two in both hands _'Doragon no Sasayaki'_ (Whisper of the Dragon) as he spun in the air and a blue-green aura surrounded him and formed a dragon coming right at Bane who was a bit afraid as time slowed in Bane's mind and Tsume appeared but her spirit looked like it was getting bluury, like static.

* * *

 _Bane...keep fighting, you can't die here_

* * *

"Mother..." Bane reached out to his mother's spirit but it disappeared before he could touch her hand, this enraged Bane a bit as his eyes glowed red, his Ghoul side taking over as a teary eyed, but fiercely determined used Wind Magic for the first time to boost himself into the air, while at the same time his shadow creeped upon Ryuma, who gave a genuinely surprised "What sorcery?" He noted the shadow came from Bane and bound him so he could not move

Ryuma knew that look and knew that Bane would defeat him and he'd already lost muttering before their next moves were even made "I missed...I lost" as Bane suddenly was in the air and Ryuma's blind spot and came down on the Ghoul fast with both feet slamming his back into the ground...he heard his spine crack painfully as the impact built a cloud of dust with Ryuma in a crater.

Bane walked off and to the door, an amazed look visible on his face but Ryuma called out "You forgetting something, kid...I don't promise a gift that I'm not going to give" he tossed a sheathed sword that almost hit Bane in the face "The sword's yours, show it respect and it should aid you, even against _him_ " he got up and walked away

 _'Shikashi, watashi wa ken o tsukau koto was dekimasen...'_ (But I can't use a sword...) Bane retorted as Ryuma looked back at him with an icy glare ' _Anata ga hayai gakushū-shadearu koto o inotte kudasai'_ (Pray that you're a fast learner then) before finally going under a tree and sitting "This is something I have to see"

Bane swallowed his fear and entered but stayed close to the door "So you've made it...come in" Kami said, his head obscured by the shadows "I was watching and I couldn't help but notice you trying to touch a certain spirit you saw...this woman" he revealed the picture and showed it to Bane

"You're the man who saved my life...how's you get my picture?" Bane noticed Kami's face as light came in and revealed his face as he replied "You dropped it, but I won't just give up something like this so easily"

Kami threw his dagger at Bane, who raised his sword and blocked it as Kami smiled and narrowed his eyes slightly "She's the one that died?"

Bane looked down, trying not to cry as he nodded "Don't cry about it!" Kami snapped punching Bane hard in the face knocking him out through the wall and as he managed to get to his feet, only to find Kami's dagger in his chest "Those who are weak and give up just because they're weak don't deserve to live"

 **Bane staggered for a moment before falling but literally stopped mid-fall, a red hazy flame surrounding his body as Kami, as amazed as he was felt a drastic change in Bane's newly awakened powers. It was very similar to Kami's Amaterasu, but was like another being entirely dwelling inside his body that was accidentally triggered.**

 _'Amazing...'_ Kami thought, his jaw still slack a bit before he shook his head and held Bane as he cried, he suddenly hated to see the boy cry even if it was his own fault "I'll take you as my apprentice...that way you can be strong and anyone in this city who tries to take advantage of you will answer to me"

"I'm Bane Asakura" Bane said through tears as Kami replied "Asakura? I thought your surname was the same as your father's...no matter, I am Kami Kurosaki."

Kami lets Bane go and stands up, looking away as Bane asked "That name...I've heard my father mention that name before, saying he wanted you dead"

"Is that so?" Kami's smile turned a bit sadistic "My banished fool of a student thinks he can test my mettle and took it out on you?" Kami's anger rose with the temperature just thinking of the nerve the young man's father had but he banished those thoughts quickly "Let's go home" Kami left and jumped a great height into the trees with Bane on his back, that when Bane saw Ryuma and said "Ryuma-san, I'm returning your sword"

"No need, keep it" Ryuma looked up at Bane "consider it your prize for holding your own against Kurosaki-sama"

* * *

 **Kami continued through the forest, where he met with Scar who was watching his fight with Bane...**

"You were watching, weren't you?" Kami said to apparently no one as Scar appeared behind them nodding "Of course, he's able to subconsciously use his shadow to fight...there's more to him that meets the eye" Bane looked at him through one eye as he thought _'What was that supposed to mean...my shadow?'_ He was as he passed out again, his mind still a bit aware of the waking world.

"I wish I could disagree with that, but he's my only way to find..." Kami was silent for a moment as he stared at Bane who was laying unconscious on his shoulder.

* * *

 **Scar nodded understandingly as he left Kami be as the Ghoul Lord made it back to the city and made a beeline for his home.**

Kami made his way inside his home, it was much larger on the inside than it was on the outside as he tossed Bane on a couch and used his powerful Amaterasu, a black inextinguishable (at least by normal means or even water based magic) flame that had a life all it's own as he lit the fireplace with a flick of his wrist.

 _'Dakara, anata wa watashi no meidai ni tsuite kangaemashita ka?'_ (So, have you thought about my proposition?) Kami said as Bane rose up behind him, which he knew without looking and replied _'Hai, watashi wa saisen o shutoku shi, anata wa watashi no tame ni hitotsu no koto o okonau kagiri, anata no gakusei no narudeshou'_ (Yes, I'll become your student as long as I get a rematch and you do one thing for me)

Kami simply looked back at him, waiting to find out what he could possibly want from him "What would that be?"

"I want to be the one to kill him..." Bane said quietly and Kami was baffled as he thought _'To think, I'm training someone whose more likely to become my successor than anyone I've ever trained...Bane Asakura, the Wolf'_ Kami nodded and smiled widely as he pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit the end, unable to get that grin off his face as he walked out and said "Come with me...and keep up this time" Kami looked back at him one last time as he disappeared with a burst of speed "There's a thin line between common sense and pure instinct, let your instincts take control...that is your final test"

 **Bane concentrated and within seconds, was moving as fast as Kami and since Ghouls are naturals at blocking Adrenaline, their legs won't be sore but this being Bane's first time, he would be tired but not as sore as if he were still human.**

"You catch on fast...good" Kami came to a stop, reaching his destination as he caught Bane, who wasn't able to stop himself yet.

"Stay right here and I'll call for you, okay?" Kami flicked Bane's forehead for not paying attention as he replied, holding his forehead replying "Hai"

Kami then walked into the dark room and disappeared but didn't see Bane imitating his fighting skill with a dagger.

 **Kami made his way into the room, he couldn't see but had come here so many times that he didn't need sight to traverse this darkness.**

Kami created two small will-o-wisps of Amaterasu's flame as they danced around him in what looked like happiness before he cleared his throat and pointed at a small hole before him as they moved to the tip of his finger and shot into the hole as he slammed his palm on the ground, causing a pulse _'Kage no myakudō'_ (Shadow Pulsation) as the pulsation continued at a controlled pace and Kami looked to see several full body figures appear...they were mere shadows but Kami appeared the same to them in their separate parts of the world, they were:

Bjorn Tartaron, the smartest Ghoul of all and master of Dark Magic, he's the Ghoul Lord of Germany.

Tsu Chen, the Ghoul Empress of China and lone female...she's an expert in seduction but Kami finds she comes on too strong and ignores her flirtations more or less.

Johnson Briarios, the Mexican Ghoul Lord and physically strongest of them all with a temper to match

Mario Bartalos, the Italian Ghoul Lord is a master seducer when he wants to be and the Master of Seals. His powers tended to compliment Briarios' as much as their personalities

Vladimir Romanoff, the Russian Ghoul Lord...he was as prideful as Kami, though not for the same reason as Kurosaki. He was more powerful than even Bjorn and Kami's equal as a swordsman but he was a bit self absorbed and tended to pick on Kami's every mistake, why Kami hated him but respected him. He can control gravity around himself and other, crushing many before he is ever touched.

"Kurosaki...have you found Lord J'onn yet?" Vlad sneered at Kami who thought it was best to ignore him "You don't think he'll be coming back after what happened to his own master, do you?"

Kami wants to bite him in the throat, literally...he talks too much, but decided to change his usual stoic and cheerful expression to a still stoic, but cold expression replying "Not yet, don't joke about his lineage or I'll come over there and make you wish you weren't born" Kami's eyes narrowed "...again"

"Again?" Vlad snarled as he laughed "I know neither of us want to get on each other's bad side"

"Can we get to why I contacted you in the first place now?" Kami sighed as he decided now was the time for them to meet Bane "Oy, Asakura...you can come in now" he called out to Bane.

* * *

 **Back with Bane, he was bored with imitating Kami's fighting skills when he sat on the floor near the door. He heard Kami calling him before his thoughts could stray to his mother though.**

"Mother..." Bane said quietly with his head down, thinking of his lost mother when he heard Kami yelling his name and by the sound of it, his patience was wearing thin.

Bane stood up and entered the room and once he made it to Kami, saw the other Ghoul Lords "Kami-sama, who are these people?"

Kami looked at him "they're my colleagues, Ghoul Lords from all over the world"

"Okay..." Bane nodded, his mind a bit far away as Kami thought _'Something's bothering him...now I'm sensing that unreleased potential again'_

"So, is he willing to take our test?" Bartalos asks as Bane nodded "I'm ready for anything" a determined expression on his face momentarily.

"You don't seem so to Bjorn..." Bjorn narrowed his eyes on Bane "...but once agreed, we should give you time to prepare."

"Hmph, prepare to be utterly disappointed..." Vlad watched Bane with even higher expectations than the others "Do not fail us, boy"

Kami glared at him as they disappeared and Kami seemed angry, though not with Bane as his clenched fist was shaking but he sighed, thinking of another way he'd blow off steam later.

Bane grabbed his wrist and he flinched and looked at him "What was that all about?" As Kami replied "they're going to test your strength by fighting you in a year and I need to train you to make sure you don't lose, I will be ridiculed if that happens...do you agree to becoming my student?"

"Yes...if it'll help me become strong enough to face my father, then how could I say no?" Bane smirked as Kami remained emotionless, ruffling his hair "I admire your spirit, but the hard part is yet to come...from now on, you will call me master"

"Why?" Bane asks as Kami pounded him on the head "It's a sign of respect for your teacher, boke, and I won't have to smack you!"

"Okay" Bane rubbed his head

"Come with me..." Kami walked away and smiled over his shoulder to Bane before disappearing in a burst of speed as Bane tried to catch up without crashing.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Yang has decided to return to the city because he felt something he was unable to ignore calling out to him, something familiar, but different all the same.**

Yang felt the tingle of telepathy urging him to return to where he'd rid himself of Tsume as he scowled, sensing something off.

He could tell, however that whoever this was...their telepathy was off the charts and he probably couldn't hide in another country from it.

"Who's there?" Yang's patience was running thin as he surveyed the interior and heard a very strange voice coming from his, now old, shared bedroom with Tsume saying "We are here..."

"We?" Yang repeated to himself, a he slowly rounded the corner to see a man that should've been dead since he was a child, sitting on the bed awaiting him.

"Greetings, Yang Hiachi" Yang turned to see a man who he thought was long dead...the man whose disappearence caused his old master so much pain...the man's name was J'onn Lucario Lebeau, the fallen Ghoul Lord who left his Will of Fire and teachings to Kami.

"You..." Yang didn't know when the tears formed in his eyes but was unable to brush them aside by how much J'onn had changed, his once black hair had become bone white and his skin had a few cracks but he doesn't seem to have aged since Yang last saw him as a child and an omnipresent black smoke wisps around as if a part of him "You shouldn't be alive"

J'onn merely closed his eyes and smiled at that "I remember getting in the way of an attack meant for Kami then nothing else...since then, all I've had is my master."

Yang jumped back as a ghostly body seemed to come over J'onn's and cause him pain as Yang ran up to him to make sure he was alright.

J'onn pushed him back with strong telekinesis as his personality changed "Well well, you seem to have lost your chance of ever killing your son now..." J'onn looks at the empty bed "but I can allow to have that chance again" he smiles deceitfully, little did he know the J'onn he knew was long gone.

"What must I do...and how do you know all this?" Yang asks suspiciously as J'onn merely put his hand out "Bow down to to my master and all you seek to know will be yours"

* * *

 **Yang does as he is told and bows, both thinking of ways to double cross the other...Yang keeping his hidden from even the strongest telepaths but scrambling his thoughts to confuse them. Back with Kami and Bane, they'd gone to the library of Kami's old master, where he found a Wind Tome for his apprentice to learn.**

Kami searched through the various books as Bane stood behind him, going out of his mind with boredom "Uh, master...what are we supposed to be looking for here?"

 _'Kaze no mahō o oshietekureru hon, watashi wa nani mo shiranainode'_ (A tome that should teach you Wind magic, since I don't know any) Kami said "I do have great knowledge of all elements of magic though...ah, there you are" he finally found a book with the Wind kanji and tossed it to Bane who asked "What is this for?"

 _'Kono koto kara dekiru koto o subete manabi, renshū shite kudesai... Anata wa sore de tesuto sa remasu'_ (Learn all you can from this and practice...you will be tested on it) Kami let Bane go off to explore the city and learn at his leisure, once he sensed Bane was far enough he stood up but quickly fell to one knee from the strong dark magic he could sense from far outside the confines of the city, this usually happened when someone had fallen into darkness...a secret sense Kami had called Shadow Sense, allowing him to sense deception and many other things, but the best thing about it was that it allowed him to sense when someone would turn from good to evil, but if he knew, saw or met the person, he would momentarily feel enough pain to knock him off his feet...he also saw a dark version of J'onn's face, which confused him if his master was already dead as he said weakly "Master?"

* * *

 **A/N - Finally finished with the first chapter, reviews are always welcome and a good Kami/Evil Yang and Possessed J'onn come with new powers and abilities that they won't have in 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark', Bane will also be more powerful as Kami's apprentice with control of most of his power with Kami's wisdom, as he also explains why Yang was banished to those who weren't there or made to swear an oath of secrecy and think Yang was dead...R &R and I own nothing but my characters and the story, not the X-Men Evo characters.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Be Very Afraid of the Dark**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Bane walked through the city, seeking a quiet place to try some magic and saw a forested clearing between two regions of the city, he didn't know why the city was split into two equal and huge parts but decided to explore the area between them and practice his ass off, but he was being watched and would soon have to learn to fight for himself weather he likes to or not.**

Bane made his way towards a gate, bordering the forest from the city "This looks like a perfect place to train..." He looked around to make sure he wasn't being watched or followed before entering the forest to a part where he wasn't in the sun but still had enough light to see what he was doing.

He set down the tome and opened it's pages to see it filled with strange symbols that he can't even read, somehow felt like he understood as they glowed to life as he stood back and raised his hands "Let's see..." He seemed to create a small twister in his palm and before he knew it, he was in the air sitting in said twister.

Not far though, a Ghoul was surveying his territory and came upon Bane "Hm, I've never seen you before...You smell like a delicious human though" the Ghoul, Zaheer, was a very dangerous man to be around, especially when he was hungry.

Zaheer could easily pass for a mere monk with his bald head, robes and outwardly calm outlook but he was a precise and vicious Binge Eater very masterful in Wind Magic that allows him to easily suffocate his opponents from afar but all he wanted to do right now was eat Bane and take his borrowed Wind Tome as he came closer silently without Bane ever knowing he was there.

 _'Yā, shin'nyū-sha, anata no mono no kanari no mono o tewatasu to watashi wa anata o mite inai furi o shimasu'_ (Hey, trespasser, hand over that pretty tome of yours and I'll pretend I didn't see you) Zaheer said, creeping closer to Bane and ready for anything as Bane was startled "No, you touch me and my master will have you for dinner"

Zaheer merely raised an eyebrow "What's he gonna do, run to Lord Kami?" He asked with a sneer and a outstretched hand "The tome...give it!"

He tried to take it by force but was sent flying from a gust from Bane as he flipped through the air uncontrollably as Bane looked at his hands.

Zaheer, however despite not expecting an attack of such strength, landed on his feet on the trunk of a tree and rubbed his jaw and his green eyes met Bane's, prompting the young Ghoul to run as the unrelenting Binge Eater shot at him like a missile and barely missed but before he could get away, a sphere of air formed around Bane's head as Zaheer began pulling the very air from his lungs as he smirked "Don't worry, this won't take long..."

* * *

 **Back at the library, Kami had been sitting in the Restricted Section since Bane had left him, looking for a book that could tell him something - anything - about the mysterious creature known as The One. He was acquainted with the creature since it tried to possess him and may still want to, why, Kami was uncertain.**

"Let's see what I can find before I go see Bane..." Kami muttered as he found a black covered book with a bright gold trim that stayed the same despite how much dust was covering the rest of it.

 **The book had a writing on it that was written in a storage language that was typically confused for Arabic, Egyptian or a cross between both, the supposedly original language of Demon called the Black Language.**

Kami wasn't fully fluent in the language but knew enough to know that it was what he was looking as he took the book and left, deciding to read it after training Bane a little.

Once outside, something hit him like a brick wall, Bane's usually surpressed magic...it wasn't nearly enough to knock a veteran like Kami to his knees, but it was still surprisingly overwhelming as he said "Bane..." Deeply worried about his student as he left.

Kami moved fast, until he was in the city's plaza where he met the twin brothers, Tsujin and Raimundo on their time off, even more stunned than he was.

 _'Kurosaki-sama, naze koko ni iru no?'_ (Kurosaki, why are you here?) Tsujin asks as Kami came up to them, a look of both annoyance and worry in his eyes _'Anata wa Bane o mito koto ga arimasu ka?'_ (Have you seen Bane?)

The twins thought for a moment "I heard someone say he went that way...they were worried too" Tsujin pointed into the forest behind him "they didn't know if he was curious or just stupid to be going over on the other side of the city"

"What's the old book for?" Raimundo asked as Kami nearly knocked him out with said old tome as he gave the orders "Tsujin, find a Ghoul that is a master of each element except Fire and have them wait at my place and Rai, you're coming with me"

Tsujin nodded and took off as Raimundo grumped, not willing to do anything until Kami smirked deviously and waved his tome in his face 'Anata wa watashi ga koko ni aru mono o miru no to onaji kurai kōkishin ga tsuyoi nodesu ka?' (You're as curious as I am to see what's in here, aren't you?) As Raimundo nodded with a sad look "Once Bane is safe, we'll see if all shall be yours then" Kami let Rai lead the way as the two enter the Raimundo noticed how much more worried Kurosaki was "Why are you so worried, you don't think he's dead, do you?" Kami glared and threw the book at his head, it was heavy enough to almost tip him over "The boy is like me...alone and don't be a smart ass about my new apprentice!"

"How much does that thing weigh?!" Raimundo glared at the book as Kami retrieved it and shot him a look as he took off with the Ghoul Lord right behind him.

* * *

 **Kami and Rai made it just in time as the Binge Eater was about to take the book and kill Bane, when a large man came from the trees above and charged him with a sword, lightning magic making him very fast.**

 **A man covered from head to toe in a dusty black cloak watched Bane from above, he was also a Binge Eater but he had more control over their...tendancies and didn't trust Zaheer, who was a known manipulator that is skilled enough to kill you with the very air you breathe**

He free falls from a very tall tree, landing between the two just as Zaheer was about to touch Bane and barely missed grabbing Zaheer's face with sparks coming from his hand as he stood between Zaheer and Bane, silently analyzing Bane before shaking his head to Zaheer, a sign that he would kill him if he tried to touch the young man.

* * *

 **With Kami...Raimundo looked at the motionless Ghoul Lord and almost expected him to smack him with his book again before he touched Kami's shoulder to see his eyes go blank and he was shaking.**

"Um, Kurosaki-sama?" Raimundo asked as he looked at the mystery Binge Eater from the corner of his eye "I'd advise you stay out of-"

 **Before the words left his mouth, Kami leaped out of the tree and walked out to the three, Amaterasu swirling around him as his foot collides with Zaheer's face, Kami hunched a bit as Zaheer retaliated with a swift kick to the side of the Ghoul Lord's head but he didn't even flinch as he rose his head, a demon mask on his face.**

 _'Watashi wa mitomenakereba narimasen... Moshi anata ga hontōni anata no seito o shitte iru no ni, anata ga yūkan ga, mattaku orokadearu ka do ka wa wakarimasen.'_ (I have to admit...I don't know if you're brave or just plain stupid to know just whose student you're really fucking with and still have the nerve to lash out at me, of all people) Kami snarled before becoming even angrier without physically showing _'Shōnen ga watashi no seitodearu koto o hoka no atsui zugaikotsu ni jijitsu o semento suru tame ni, watashi ga anata no jirei o dono yō ni tsukutte iru to omoimasu ka?'_ (How do you think of me making an example of you to cement the fact into any other thick skull out there that the boy is my student?!)

The man flinched visibly at what Kami could possibly have in mind, knowing full well that Kami had wanted to get his hands on him for quite a long time as he jumped back and began bowing and begging Kami to let him off easy, which has never happened once since Kami became Ghoul Lord as Kami looked back at the Binge Eater, then Bane to see a single tear drop as his head snapped back at Zaheer startlingly fast as he stomped his face into the ground "send the message out to your fellow Binge Eaters, you touch him and I'll pay you a very bad visit"

Bane shuddered by the simple glance Kami gave him as he came up to him and placed his hand on his head "Looks like you put up a fight, I'm impressed"

"Why did you help me?" Bane looked to the other Ghoul who looked back at him over his shoulder "I don't want you to have a bad impression of all Binge Eaters...and, you're strong which is something I admire"

"Who are you then?" Bane asks as he rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish look on his face "Oh, no one special...say hi to my old master, Salazar for me" he then ran off in the opposite direction to where Kami came from

"Let's head back...hopefully you managed to get some training done?" Kami said as he touched his mask and it turned completely black and disappeared with a scratch and Bane felt like he could breathe more as Kami's powers lowered to how it was usually.

* * *

 **Meanwhile, Tsujin was at the front of Kami's house with Scar awaiting some other Ghouls to appear as Kami was also on his way.**

Scar stood leaning against a wall, his shirt partially unbuttoned showing the scar on his chest that matched the much smaller but obvious namesake one on his forehead as he looked at the clear sky "What's taking them so long?" He said grumpily, he had business elsewhere as Tsujin came out and glared at him weakly "They're going to be here...cover your chest up, for Christ's sake."

"Bite me, Tsujin..." Scar looked down to glare at the Ghoul before looking back at the sky "they're almost here, I can tell"

Tsujin nodded "somehow, I highly doubt Kurosaki-sama is going to be in a great mood...there are the people I told to meet with us"

 **Just then, a group of powerful Ghouls appeared, each a master of a different one of the magical elements which are Water, Wind, Darkness, Light/Lightning, Earth which Tsujin and Scar agreed Raimundo was suited for and Fire which Kami will demonstrate himself.**

"What exactly was our reason for being here?" Said a Ghoul wearing a large hood over his clothes as he leaned against the wall, out of the seemingly blazing sunlight "besides just standing around, that is..."

"I heard we were here by request of Kurosaki-sama" another Ghoul said, a bit happy to be here and hoping to go toe to toe with the Ghoul Lord, not Bane "something about his new student or something...is he finally following in his old master's shoes?" As the other Ghoul rolled his eyes "Hooray for him..." His tone was dripping with sarcasm that made Scar want to drop kick his teeth out.

"A'right, enough" Scar settled the Ghouls who all looked at him "I'm sure Lord Kurosaki didn't assemble you all here to argue his or each other's credability"

 **Suddenly, Kami was coming out of the forest with Bane, who he carried most of the way and Raimundo, but Bane was the one they sensed coincidentally instead of the docile Ghoul Lord despite how annoyed he still was.**

 _'Kare wa tadashīdesu...'_ (He's right...) Kami said as the Ghouls looked around to see no one until the saw Kami and Bane walking out of the forest _'Jissai no tesuto ga hajimaru mae ni, anata no sukiru o Bane no demonsutorēshon de hanashite morau tame ni koko ni tsurete ittanode, hajimemashou'_ (I brought you here to let your skills do the talking in a demonstration for Bane before the real test begins, so let's get started) Kami grumped as a sharp, dangerous glare got everyone moving into line "don't forget a brief explanation either."

 **The Ghouls lined up, mentally preparing themselves to do what they had to as the hooded Ghoul was first. He was to give a brief summary of what element he used, it's strengths/weaknesses etc.**

There were a few drains nearby with collected rainwater that moved towards a collection area as the Ghoul said with a rough calm "Water Magic..." As he pulled the water towards him with fluid grace "As powerful against Fire Magic as it is weak, but surely weakest against Advanced Earth Magic...all life, human and Ghoul alike need water to survive"

The water froze as he continued "Advanced Water Magic allows one to manipulate water in all it's forms, from ice to..." He focused on Bane as his body grew rigid, unable to move unless the Ghoul willed it "...the very blood in your veins" he smirked as he stepped aside, freeing Bane.

"Light magic..." A slightly bigger man said with a lightning bolt tattoo on his left arm "Allows the user to manipulate all forms of light" he moved his arms, spiralling the lights in the area as Bane smirked "Wow..."

"As strong against Darkness as it is weak, it is not for the feint of heart" he explained as he bent the lights around the area "Advanced Light Magic is among the most powerful and allows you to take down almost anyone though it's equally as dangerous...Lightning" his hands sparked with blue bolts of electricity which he shot close to Bane's feet as he stepped aside, earning one of Kami's cold glares.

Next was a man dressed in robes, he was calm and equally dangerous looking as his skin turned white and his eyes glowed _'Koko wa, anata no chichioya no hyōban o kangaereba, anata ga yoku shiranaibekide wa arimasen'_ (This shouldn't be one you should be unfamiliar with, given your father's reputation) he wasn't smiling, actually he was very cold and serious, something Bane was bothered by but it felt familiar

"Wind..." Bane said as the man nodded "best suited for assassins, Wind magic is easy to learn but a bitch to master." He created a small vortex in his palm that quickly grew into a twister "Strong against Earth Magic and complement Fire very well, it is almost untouchable by any other element, although there is no known Advanced Magic in this element, it still allows you to hold your own and slice though anything and makes one the master of Hurricanes and the fury of a Tornado"

Another man stepped up, one hand closed holding something, he opened it to show an entrancing black orb floating in his hand _'Yami'_ (Darkness) he said "An element of great knowledge, though probably the most feared and corruptive, compatible with any magic discipline but the Light and gifts one telepathy, telekinesis, shadow manipulation and who knows what else"

 **Raimundo stood beside Kami, trying to hide his eternal boredom from everyone, especially the still irate Ghoul Lord beside him as he tried to lay his head down on Scar, on his other side but he snarled and swung his fist at his head...apparently he was even less pleased than Kami for some reason.**

He then looked at Kami again, he was NOT someone he wanted to get on the wrong side of right now, but his attention was solely on Asakura as if only they mattered as Raimundo suddenly rested his head on his arm and held on to it, should Kami move as Kami's eyes widened at, not the touch of the other Ghoul, but that he was snoring like a dying old woman.

 **Scar took a huge step away from the two of them and by the sadism on Kami's face, so did everyone else but Bane**

* * *

 _ **RAIMUNDO!**_

* * *

 **Kami was infuriated more than expected and wanted to start Bane's training as he decided that Rai should demonstrate his Earth abilities as he's sure even Ghouls passing by stopped at the sound of his voice.**

"Since you have enough energy to snore on my shoulder, showing your skill with Earth Magic with a proper explanation" Kami pushed him but not hard enough for him to fall, his glare boring into him as he whined "but I'm bored, let nii-san do it"

"Leave me out of this, Rai" Tsujin groaned at his twin as Kami glanced between the brothers before whispering a threat in Raimundo's ear "Do it or I'll stuff my foot down your throat, screw up and I'll break your leg off and shove that down your throat whole"

"Nii-san's sand is better for that" Rai kept whining as Kami, now on his last nerve gritted his teeth "don't...test...me right now"

He sighed "Fine...Earth magic" he wanted this to be over with almost as fast as Kurosaki does "strong against Wind and Fire, weaker against Water and whatever, great for a barrier but a terrible resting spot." He turned to leave but Kami stopped him with one word he hopes never to hear again in a long time "Demonstrate" the Ghoul Lord said, making Rai stop mid-step, he could sense a bit of amusement in the Ghoul Lord's tone as he turned and looked at Bane, his personality changing to being pissed "How's this for a demonstration?" He stomped his foot, causing a tremor that startled everyone but Scar, who thought he was going too far as he barely flinched and scowled "if he doesn't stop this, I'll snap his neck, I swear..." He was trying to be calm but the look of enthusiasm on Bane's face couldn't keep even his mood bad as he smirked "Don't be scared of him, he's just throwing a tantrum"

"Is he always so...immature?" Bane looked at Salazar Ryuken as he nodded and laughed "Yeah, but don't let him hear that, after all, he can kill and bury you all in one blow"

Bane counted his fingers then looked at Kami, who was busy glaring at Raimundo disapprovingly as Bane remembered the Ghoul who mentioned Scar by name "The man that saved me said he knew you"

"Is that so?" Scar said, a look of amusement and curiosity on his face as much as his smirk as he folded his arms "Maybe, I should pay the idiot a visit, you can't come with me though...your master is already in a nasty mood after what happened to you the first time, if I'm right."

Bane groaned, wanting to go along as Kami began "Fire..." He had a flame in his hand, literally making contact with his skin "The spark that truly has no true master, users of this magic are obviously weak against Water and is greatly compatible with users of Wind Magic as my Amaterasu is a form of very Advanced Fire Magic"

"Oto-san...is that why you were his master?" Bane asks as Kami nods with the simple reply with a sad look in his eyes "Wind and Fire complement each other and we were precise, deadly and stronger with that bond"

Kami placed his hand on Bane's head as they made eye contact, that alone made Bane shudder "Now comes the test..."

Bane shook out of his grip before it tightened and put some distance between them as Kami grinned and snarled _'Daremoga imasugu-gai ni dete, kore o kette mimashou'_ (Everyone get out right now, let's kick this up a couple notches) Kami charged directly at Bane, who couldn't move due to still looking in Kami's eyes as his voice broke him from his trance "Avoid eye contact and move!" The Ghoul Lord instructed as his punch missed Bane by inches

Bane distanced himself from Kami, who stopped and looked at him sadistically as his voice froze him in place yet again "Run and I'll hunt you down, now come...no one will die, I'm a naturally agressively fighter, remember?"

Bane did as instructed and came at Kami with a kick to the face but Kami block "kick again..." Bane continues kicking as Kami continued "again, again"

Bane retaliates with more forceful kick than expected that made Kami stumble back a bit before catching his bearings "Getting a hang of your newly acquired powers, I see...good"

"Am I being given a choice here...master?" Bane looked a bit discouraged and disappeared in a burst of speed that made him seem invisible, something that was intentionally kept from him but Bane had hardwired due to past experiences with his father, a Binge Eater just like Kami, trying to eat him.

Kami remained still, his breathing slowed as he drew his dagger and spun around, still unmoving but his eyes were moving fast as he smiled thinking _'To think that he's already using the speed and temporary invisibility that comes with Wind Magic without any mention of it being made...fascinating, but you're no master at it yet'_

Kami blocked Bane's sword with his dagger the moment he reappeared as he knocked the sword from his hand, making it stick in the ceiling above them "Nice, but your father couldn't get me with that trick and neither will you" he reached out, without fully knowing where Bane was since sensing him wouldn't fully work, and grabbed him which nullified the invisibility

 **Bane looked up at his sword in the ceiling, there was no way he was getting up that high ceiling and even if he did, it looked like it was stuck pretty good, Kami saw this as Bane accepting his defeat but this was far from over.**

"Do not accept defeat until you're dead...want your little sword?" Kami sneered and tightened his grip without hurting Bane as he glanced between Bane and his weapon as Bane became cautious "Go get it then!"

"What?!" Was all Bane could say before Kami sent him flying to the ceiling as he grabbed his sword, so he wouldn't go through the stone ceiling.

He managed to get it out but before he could fall, his master gripped his ankle and held him upside down as Bane closing his eyes amused the Ghoul Lord _'Anata no me o ake nasai, gakusei... Anata wa shinde inai'_ (Open your eyes, student...you're not dead)

 **Bane opened his eyes to find Kami's hair was up, just noticing that they were upside down.**

 **Kami sensed his powers grow, apparently they weren't only linked to his emotions but they were also triggered when his life was in danger as Raimundo entered the area to rest when he thought Kami was none the wiser. Kami was onto him though and just couldn't think of a suitable punishment until now.**

Tsujin entered the area and sat against the wall on the floor completely unaware of Kami and Bane as he decided to try practicing to mimic his twin brother's ability to make sand...they were twins but it was clear that Tsujin was smarter than his brother as he gave up as fast as he began growling "This is hopeless..." As he sat on the floor and did his favorite pass time, nothing.

Kami felt like someone was intentionally trying to raise his blood pressure when Bane drew his attention to Raimundo, who he almost got mistaken for Tsujin "Didn't you tell everyone to leave?"

"Yes..." Kami snarled, narrowing his eyes as he simply dropped Bane after taking his sword and throwing it directly between the slacker's legs as he got up.

"Watch your step..." Kami chimed as he let's go of Bane, dropping him head first before jumping and catching him again, inches from the ground and dropping him again "Ow, don't do that again"

Kami didn't look at him replying "Don't push your luck..." He shot a fireball at Rai who barely dodged.

Bane didn't intervene and chose this time to see if he could find Scar and persuade him to take him along to see the man that saved his life. He didn't notice Kami watching him until he snapped _'Ora ora, -gai no mukō-gawa no ikitai to wa omowanaide kudusai'_ (Hey, don't try to to go over to the other side of the city alone)

 _'Watashi wa shimasen!'_ (I won't!) Kami heard down the hall, knowing that his apprentice was interested in going to the other side of the city, especially when Scar said he was going there earlier today.

* * *

 **Bane moved fast through the city, he wasn't going to lie to Kami that he was accompanying Scar to the Binge Eater's side of the city but he never said the Head of the Hunters would exactly know that Bane would be coming with him, as Scar had openly prohibited it in the presence of Kami**.

Bane made it into the city and soon found Scar speaking with a shopkeeper, apparently seeking information on who attacked Bane as shopkeepers tend to go back and forth between both sides of the city to buy or sell their goods.

 **Scar then, once he got the information he needed, covers his head with his hood and left...Bane then followed once Scar was far enough to not take notice of him.**

 **Bane followed Scar all the way through the forest and into the other side of the city, but once there, he'd lost him...or so he thought**

Bane saw Scar go around the corner of an old building, but he was gone when Bane got there.

Suddenly, a voice in Bane's head said _'Get out of the way, NOW'_ as he listened and jumped out of the way just in time for Scar to demolish the building with a kick as Bane backed away, wide eyes.

Scar, his hand in his pockets, pulled his foot out of the rubble as his eye moved towards Bane _'Anata ga doko ka de watashi ni shitagau koto ga yurusa reteinai to iu toki, watashi wa sore o imi suru... Watashi wa anata ga koko ni iru riyū o tazunerudarouga, sore o utsu koto wa haruka ni tanoshī'_ (When I say you're not allowed to follow me somewhere, I mean it...I would ask why you're even here but beating it out of you sounds much more fun) Bane rolled out of the way just in time not to get his head stomped as Scar's foot almost got stuck in the ground but he pinned Bane against a wall with his foot at his throat "Don't worry, Lord Kami won't do much to me as long as I don't kill or hurt you too bad"

 **Suddenly, the person they were looking for intervenes as he hits a vital pressure point in Scar's leg, giving him barely any strength to stand, let alone hold Bane as their eyes met.**

"Scar-san..." The man looked between Scar and Bane before giving a serious glare to Scar, who glared right back "Care to tell me what you're both doing here fighting?"

"Is that how you say 'Long time no see' now...?" Scar said finally looking up to the man "Hatake Yamamoto..."

"I haven't forgotten how clever you are and give up the act, I know I missed the pressure point I was aiming for" The man, Yamamoto glared harder at his former teacher before looking at the sky, it was overcast and would likely be raining soon "Follow me, it'll be raining soon"

Bane saw Yamamoto's refection in Scar's golden eyes as they agreed to follow and not fight.

Bane and Scar made their way with Yamamoto to where he lived, hopefully Bane would be able to thank him and see how the Binge Eaters live without fear of killed.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, however...the man who attacked Bane, Zaheer was in the most dead, albeit dangerous part of the forest on his way to meet the man who persuaded him to betray Kami and assassinate Bane, he never failed before and was very unlike to be given a second chance by the men he'd meet in this house. He was lucky that he escaped with his life to begin with and Kami didn't have him hunted down by someone or himself by now.**

Zaheer knocked on the door, knowing J'onn may have known he was there since he entered this lifeless forest as the door open on it's own.

Zaheer entered and fell to one knee "I was about to kill the boy, when-"

"You failed" J'onn said, calmly but years of experience told the assassin that he was definitely NOT happy about this failure as he kept his head down, not daring to look him in the eye _'Watashi wa anata no yurushi to jihiwokou... Watashi wa betsu no chansu ga atae rarereba shippai shinaidarou'_ (Please, I beg your forgiveness and mercy...I will not fail if given another chance)

"I was interrupted by a brute before the worse happened and Kurosaki arrived, infuriated that I layed hands on the boy" he continued as J'onn was greatly angered by that as Zaheer looked up in time to see J'onn's hand sparking with black lightning to take his life until...

"You can get back into the city, right?" Yang said breaking his silence as Zaheer nodded "Yes..."

Yang got up "Well, you're going back and killing Bane...and Kami, don't fail this time" Yang said as Zaheer rose to his feet, snarling "No way you're getting me to risk my skin again and against a Ghoul Lord"

"I'm coming with you..." Yang's eyes sharpened "Slow me down or fail again and I'll kill you myself"

"Splendid" J'onn applauded as he extended his palm with about six small, strange black orbs "Do a better job this time"

"What're these?" Yang couldn't say he trusted getting anything edible from the former Ghoul Lord who smirked evilly "Eat one and find out..." Now Yang really didn't trust that look and J'onn knew that.

* * *

 **Yang and Zaheer leave, making their way out of the dark part and into the normal part of the city, Zaheer noticed that Yang was constantly distracted by the strange thing J'onn request him to eat and wanted him to try one already while they both had the patience.**

"You've been staring at those things since we've left..." Zaheer knew nothing of this man and didn't care to "just try one already"

Yang ignored his existence and Zaheer was very tempted to kill him for this "I guess the vermin is right...I really won't know if I don't try" he mused, totally still ignoring Zaheer's icy glare at the comment as he took one and ate it.

Immediately, he stopped as the urge to gag came over him causing Zaheer to stop a bit further ahead of him "Asakura...I plan to get even with that brat, we need to hurry...no doubt there'll be Hunters out looking for me"

Yang trembled slightly as he rose his head, his skin cracked around his eyes even more as his Kakugan was forcibly activated "I'll murder that fucker if this is chocolate, be careful, that is my son and only I am allowed to kill him...here" he tossed one of what he just ate to Zaheer, who swallowed it whole without hesitation.

"Now, let's go" Yang smiled sadistically as he jumped with great speed, reducing the branch he was standing on to splinters as they continued and Zaheer's dislike for him grew ten fold "Master...I'm coming home" he said as the city came into view above the trees.

* * *

 **A/N - Yang is returning to the city with Zaheer by his side, what will Bane do when he crosses paths with the men who both very nearly took his life and how will the reunion between master and student, Yang and Kami go? Just wait and see! R &R (I got the idea for Zaheer from Zaheer in The Legend of Korra, who also kills people by suffocation, like how he almost killed Bane)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Be Very Afraid of the Dark**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Scar and Bane have been following Yamamoto through the Binge City for quite some time now and Bane, although astounded to find out that this was the larger, though more lawless side of the city, everyone knew how made dues as life was unforgiving here as well. Kami, being a Binge Eater and sympathizing with his own brethren, offered not only to destroy the barrier separating the two sides himself, but offer work, food and money (mostly out of his own pocket) to them but not all were pleased with it and refused to give up their side of the city. Kami, not wanting a war on his hands from his warish brothers, decided to let them have their wish even though still getting food, money etc.**

"Why are things so quiet here?" Bane said, breaking the silence as Yamamoto, his hood over his head, looked around "They're watching you two...seeing if you're trustworthy"

Bane began looking around as well, but saw no one that Yamamoto did "...and if we're not?" Yamamoto smiled widely "You better hope you are, otherwise you're worthy prey"

"I wouldn't push my luck if I were them though..." Scar said "Kami's threats about Asakura-san must have gotten this far by now"

"And how long is that going to last?" Yamamoto asked straightforwardly "remember, there are those who will come after the kid mainly due to the fact that he _is_ Kurosaki's apprentice" he glances over to see Bane with no visible reaction to this.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Kami was at one of the highest points in the city meditating, when he thought he sensed Yang right outside the city, he may have also sensed J'onn and was greatly enraged as to why he kept sensing his old master if he was dead. He decides to send someone to find Scar and retrieve his young apprentice as he feared that they were both targets.**

Kami sat on the rooftop, back straight as his hands formed a circle in front of him with only the tips of his fingers touching as his mind cleared. He closed his eyes and shut his body off from the world around him as the loudest thing around him was his breathing.

This helps banish not only his violent anger, but the even better hidden pain at the loss of both his master and student who he raised since both their childhood.

Kami's senses took him all over the city - both sides of it - as he felt Yang...his old student was right at the front of the city, seemingly waiting for him when something dark hit his consciousness like a battering ram.

This magic, although residing within Yang right now, was nothing even remotely close to Yang's power as it was stronger and a much more potent evil than Yang himself since his banishment as Kami's eyes snapped open, his pain and rage returning ten fold as he was sweating as if he walked the Sahara Desert from end to end without water "Yang...now, I'm pissed...really pissed"

"Tsujin...Raimundo...Tazaki...Counsilman Zane" Kami said the name of the four Ghouls as they simply appeared behind him despite being nowhere near by his orders.

"Yes, Kuro-sama..." The three kneeled on one knee behind him as Zane simply stood there, he bows to no Ghoul Lord "Zane-san...you two go to the library's restricted section of the library and seek all you can find on the Dark Magic spell 'Shadow Gravemind' then come back to me..." Kami knew he'd never complain as he spent most of his time in a book to begin with. He also had a feeling that whoever is after Bane and himself is going to control Yang with this powerful spell and he was none the wiser about it as Tazaki said "I know nothing of even this spells existence, but this should be rather...interesting."

"Tsujin, Raimundo...find Bane and bring him back to me as fast as you can" he shot a glare at the two who were staring at the shadowy, too private for anyone's taste Counsilman who spared a second glance at Tazaki only before pulling his robe over himself and disappearing as the left themselves took their leave

"What do you need from me, Kurosaki?" Tazaki asked, his tone always harsh and analytical as Kami said simply "Come with me...I think I have need of your special skills more than anything right now"

Tazaki simply smiled and nodded as Kami left and he followed, his half-lidded green eyes never showing emotion "As you wish..." He narrowed his eyes evilly, he'd prefer not to disappoint whatever Kami wanted and they both knew it.

* * *

 **Back with Bane, he and Scar had made it to the house Yamamoto called his home for now but Bane was very cautious of the looks he was getting from the Ghouls who chose to show themselves to them due curiosity about Bane.**

 _'Mada soko ni imasu ka?'_ (Are we there yet?) Bane asks for the second time too many as Scar looked back at him with a silencing look before smacking the back of Yamamoto's head _'Mada arimasu ka?'_ (There yet?)

"Yes...we are here" Yamamoto said as the entered his secluded home that looked like any other on the outside but was vastly different on the inside. They entered, but Bane stopped short at the door and looked behind him, he almost swore he made eye contact with Zaheer, or something that looked like him

"Why do I feel like I'm being watched...more than normal" Bane asked as a Binge Eater came out "Nice senses...for a half-breed Ghoul" the man had snow white hair and a menacing look about him when his cold silver eyes fell on Bane.

"Asuma-san, is that you?" Yamamoto asked turning and growling as the raggedy man grabbed Bane "unhand him before I do something I regret, my friend"

"I'm afraid I can't do that to such a rarity..." He choked Bane and backed away until he backed into Tsujin and his brother behind him.

"I'd listen to the man if I were you..." Raimundo said as Asuma chuckled and tightened his grip on Bane

"And I'd not open my mouth so easily in this part of town if I were you" Asuma said as Raimundo countered "I saw what Kami almost did to a Binge Eater that picked a fight with Bane before, so you'd better let him go before Kurosaki decides to take interest in _your_ torture"

"He wouldn't do that unprovoked" Asuma said, slowly releasing Bane as Tsujin said "He would, even unprovoked..."

"Oy!" Scar tapped his shoulder as he looked to receive a fist in his mouth "Let go means let friggin' go, dumbshit!"

Yamamoto's hard eyes stared at the twins wordlessly as Tsujin got to explaining to Bane "Your master wants you to return...he fears that someone is after you"

"Someone is after him..." Everyone turned to see Zaheer, a dark aura around him seemed to be affecting Bane who seemed surprised "You..."

"I was paid to get you dead or alive and I've never failed, you made me look bad the last time we met and I plan to make you regret it" Zaheer sprinted towards the group, Tsujin created a arm of sand to grab him at the same time as his brother sent an Earth attack at him, but the world seemed to move slower to the Ghoul as he jumped on the sand hand and kept coming, before jumping and dodging every attack from the twins as if he already knew their arsenal of attacks as he appeared between them.

He headbutts Tsujin in the nose and does a front flip, his heel connecting with Raimundo's chin and knocking him into the air as if he was weightless as Tsujin made a Sand Wall in time to cushion the rapid punches and kicks coming his way as he manages to punch through the sand to his face, knocking off his feet as he jumped into air with another kick to the vulnerable Raimundo, who managed to block as he hits the ground.

 **With them down, he charges at Yamamoto, Scar and Asuma who were ready to be much more of a match.**

Yamamoto got in his way as he scowled a bit, recognising him as the one who protected Bane _'Anata wa watashi no hōhō de jūbun ni eta, watashi wa anata o sugu ni owara seru ni owara seru to omou'_ (You've gotten in my way enough, I think I'll end you quickly) he clashed with Yamamoto who used his lightning fast reflexes (that now comes to him naturally) to keep up with the equally fast Zaheer but Zaheer used this to get past him only to meet Scar as Asuma looked at Bane "There's a hidden underground passage leading back to the other side of the city, go and don't look back" he said as Bane nodded and went off and Asuma jumped into the air and took a deep breath as he breathed out a cloud of burning ash.

 **Bane made it into the forest but it was very hard to search through all these trees for an old underground passage that he isn't even sure is here.**

"Come on...where would I be if I were a hidden underground passage?" Bane asked himself, ignoring the sudden rush of adrenaline running him through him until he stepped on exactly what he was looking for "There..." He opened the hatch, entered and closed it quickly. Zaheer entered the area not long after but doesn't seem to have found Bane.

Inside, was a stone tunnel that was dimmly lit by glowing crystals set on the walls into the unknown darkness as Bane started walking down and looking at the stream of water flowing in and out "What is this place...?"

Suddenly, an explosion behind him move faster but Zaheer moved fast and appeared before him as he backed away "You're going to die, or are you going to run again"

"I'll pick the third option..." Bane growled, thoroughly tired of this assassin "I won't pass here until I kill you"

"Let's see how hot your blood really is then!" He swung his arm, sending a blade of wind at Bane, who imitated his movement to counter with the same attack but with more of a clawing motion as their attacks cancelled each other out.

"I made a promise to someone not to kill you..." Zaheer raised his hands but Bane was more concerned about a pair of red, soulless slit eyes staring at him from the darkness behind Zaheer who continued "...I lied, the whole reason I came back to this backwater relic of a city was to end your pathetic life and I don't like being dissatisfied" he created a sphere around Bane's head and raised his body into the air, but his eyes seemed focused on the red eyes that Zaheer doesn't notice, because only he can see it

 _'Give into the power...let my power - our power - take over'_ the voice said calmly and Bane remembered faintly hearing it when he saw his mother die but the voice knew what he was thinking as well as it snapped _'Mother...our time hasn't come to see her yet, let go!'_ the voice said harshly as Bane's consciousness faded.

 **Zaheer noticed Bane's strange and silent behaviour, he'd never seen that before in a Ghoul, especially a young and relatively new Ghoul like Bane but he was no longer conscious now and he could go forward with double crossing Yang quicker than anticipated and leaving him to die at his old master's hand.**

"You could've been a great opponent with the right training...goodbye, kid" Zaheer dropped Bane's lifeless body to the ground as he turned to leave.

That was when it happened, a red glow and aura came over the seemingly already dead Bane's body as his body morphs into that of a humanoid Wolf as it rose to it's feet, almost three times Zaheer's height and looked at it's hand/claw in slight confusion before flipping into an uncontrollable rage and attacked Zaheer, managing to nick him with it's razor sharp claws causing him to take a tactical retreat, as he calls it.

The wolf remained still as he ran off and watched, when he thought he was far enough to think that he'd gotten away, Wolf-Bane raised one hand as he shadow creeper out and paralyzed Zaheer mid-sprint as he thought _'No, I can't die...not like this!'_ As the wolf took to the air in a display of martial arts that Bane would never be able to use in his human form, at least not right now.

 **Zaheer was beaten to a sore pulp, but left alive...barely as the Wolf wanted to kill him but Bane stopped him...he wasn't able to fully control the wolf yet however, only stop it from time to time as this was his first transformation as he left.**

* * *

 **Back with Kami, he faced Yang...he regretted making the decision to banish Yang for a level of treason that was deserving of a far worse punishment but felt that he was making up for it and lost time by having Bane as an apprentice.**

Yang looked at Kami, his signs of depression still obvious even though he was no longer depressed...he no longer felt any emotion actually "Yang...why are you here?" He was sure he already knew why but wanted to hear it from his former student's own mouth

Yang gritted his teeth "You know exactly why I'm here, where's Asakura?!" He snapped as his head hung "Don't talk to me like you're still my master" he said that slowly.

"Yang...I only have one thing left to ask" Kami closed his eyes before opening them, completely black "Where. Is. J'onn?!"

The two clashed, knocking each other back before clashing again several times with great speed "Spar with me for old times sake and my mind _might_ change"

The two then disappeared as they clashed several more times at sonic speeds, Tazaki was a safe distance away, his eyes darting around and keeping track of Master and Student as some of their conversation intrigued him as well _'Kare wa J'onn ga mada ikiteita to iimashita ka... Kyōmibukaidesuga, sorehodo nagaiai, kamui ga kore o toru hōhō wa motto omoshiroidesu'_ (Did he say Lord J'onn was still alive...interesting, but it's even more interesting how Kami takes this after searching for so long) he found himself studying the Ghoul Lord's emotion, he wasn't visibly angry as much now but one wrong move or mistake on his end could put him on the Ghoul Lord's hit list...something he had pride in staying off of, the less you annoy Kami the more you get to fight alongside him as he readies himself to get involved for Kami's benefit.

"When Kami asks a question, you are to answer without delay..." Tazaki was pissed with Yang for refusing to reveal if J'onn was alive, a trait he picked up from his (and Scar's) old master as his placed his palms together and a purple Hexagram appeared before him "I must seal him for questioning...just a matter of sealing his powers-what the?!" He was nearly silent when he felt another power that rivaled Kami's. No, maybe even surpassed

 **Yang and Kami were about to clash midair, when Wolf Bane appeared between then with sonic speed and placed his palms at their faces, firing a dark magic blast of some kind that buried Kami in a building and Yang in the ground.**

 _'Ittai nanidatta no?'_ (What the hell was that?) Yang snarled forcing his eyes open to see Wolf-Bane's black furred body looking around but alert to even the smallest sound as he stared at Yang and for a mere second, Yang swore he saw Bane inside the creature for a second.

"Bane...?" He questioned with a scowl as he looked at Kami "I think I'll take my leave now...leave Kami's death to his own student"

Within the wolf's consciousness, Bane mustered the strength to open one eye half way as the wolf looked at Yang "Die..."

Kami, still buried in the wall, looked absolutely livid and the fact that he was still there and hadn't beheaded the Lycan creature by now was a miracle in and of itself...this only meant that once he made his move, most...if not all of them would be dead.

Kami stepped out of the crater and was walking slowly towards them...almost like he was dragging his body more than walking as black flames danced around a matching aura but only Tazaki seemed attentive of the Ghoul Lord as he managed to pounce on the wolf as it readies a dark, very volotile and explosive combination of Wind, Fire and Dark Magics from it's mouth to obliterate Yang, nullifying it and freeing Yang who was unable to move due to Wolf-Bane's Shadow Paralysis he never knew he was caught in before losing the ability to move.

He then stomped Wolf-Bane's head down before Tazaki snarled "Lord Kami, stop..." He grabbed and moved the disgruntled, borderline furious Ghoul Lord a distance away before he calmed himself "I sense Asakura-san within that wolf"

Kami fell to his knees as he cared not to notice Yang's absence as he stared as the unconscious wolf reverted to Bane "Tazaki-sā, get someone to go find Scar" Kami's voice was calm, but not enough to hide his surprise or sadness that he was seconds from murdering his own apprentice as the man nods, deciding not to ask why Kami was so worried about Bane as he glanced at the unconscious young ghoul "...and him?"

"I will take care of him. Go." Kami ordered, taking Bane into his arms carefully as he left the let him rest.

Kami was a distance away, in the trees as his blue eyes never left Bane, even to watch where he was going _'Bane...what are you?'_ He questioned himself _'looks like I'll have to start some new training, not to mention much tougher and you have to learn how to kill, that is a_ _ **priority**_ _'_

 **Kami made it home and laid Bane on a bed, this would be Bane's room for as long as he remains living with Kami as he sat on the floor in the corner and meditates...it was always interrupted to look at Bane though...elsewhere, Tazaki managed to find Scar and the others unconscious but alive. He had something to say and already knew Scar personally won't be pleased about it.**

Tazaki walked around the city, he wasn't a Binge Eater but somehow felt at home on these streets as he questioned any Binge Eater he could find but felt he couldn't pay the price they were willing to for everything they know.

He decided that if anyone could help him, it would be the Hunters stationed here and happened to pass one "Hey...Kami's apprentice, did you happen to see him here?"

The Ghoul nodded "I saw him go that way with Scar-san and Yamamoto-san...I followed when I saw they were being followed." He pointed in the direction they went.

Tazaki snarled slightly and nodded as he thought _'...and you did nothing?'_ then left.

 **Eventually, on his way he found them alive and decided to fill them in on what happened with Bane, Kami and his father.**

Scar and the others woke up a bit winded and dizzy only to find Tazaki in his face _'Oi, tachiagatte, anata o bēn kara kirihanasu tame ni koko de nani ga okotta no ka setsumei shite kudasai'_ (Oy, get up and explain what happened here to separate you from Bane)

His face was close to Scar's, startling him when his eyes opened "Tazaki...where's Bane?"

"Well, long story short...Kami faced his old student again and it was _not_ pretty, it would have been worse if a Wolf creature hadn't tried to kill them both...especially Hiachi Yang"

"Bane turned into a what?" Raimundo said to make sure he heard the same thing as everyone else.

 _'Nante omoshiroi...'_ (How interesting...) Yamamoto said as everyone was on their feet and Raimundo stared at him distrustfully _'Ima watashi wa anata ga hitori de kurashite iru riyū o shitte... Anata wa dokuzen-tekina kyōkai-sen no kyōki no saikodesu ne?'_ (Now I know why you live alone...you're a egotistic borderline mad psycho, aren't you?) Raimundo looked at him suspiciously even more when he said "Not entirely, but I tend to dabble" he gave a purposely more sly smirk as an annoyed Rai threw himself at him as Tsujin barely held him back "Don't do something stupid, brother...remember that he was trained by Scar" the twins glanced at Scar who was smiling at Yamamoto

"He's just like you...if anyone can stop or at least teach him control, it would be you" Scar said as Yamamoto nodded in agreement "I suppose so, but what of his master, I know he saw me protect the boy but he is an unpredictable one...something he prides himself on with that volcanic temper of his, no?"

"Taeger is much different however..." Scar said with a deep breath "He's as old as Kami, but the only one qualified ligitamately to be a Ghoul Lord but also the only one to downright refuse it every time it was even mentioned in his immediate presence."

"We've wasted enough time then, let's head back" Yamamoto said "I'd like to meet this Alphonse Taeger that you've been so adamant to evade for so many years since we met."

"You'll regret those words once you meet him and know why I didn't dare mention his name" Scar said "he's outcastes himself from society, not to mention how unspeakably merciless he is without even trying"

"Don't expect me to come with you then" Raimundo said, almost earning Scar's wrath as they glared at him and he retorts "What, you don't think I've heard of someone who could kill someone as tough as Scar with barely a flick of his wrist?"

"Believe me, that term is used very loosely although you did hit the nail on the head" Scar explains "He had Cancer before becoming a Ghoul...it had an effect of making his skin permanently red afterwards but mercy truly isn't a word in his dictionary, I don't think he even knows the meaning of it."

 **The moment they made it back to the city, the got to tracking down Kami who they found in his home with the door open. The found Kami with a look of regret on his face as he sat on the floor meditating across from Bane who was still alive.**

"Uh, Lord Kami?" Raimundo was reluctant to enter the room they found the Ghoul Lord meditating in, especially when he saw Bane on the bed.

 _'Nandeshou?!'_ (What do you want?!) Kami shot a blast of Fire at Raimundo as soon as he set foot in the doorway, forcing him to get out of the way and wave his arm out "Ceasefire!" Something he didn't know would infuriate Kami even more than he already is.

"What happened to him?" Tsujin asks as Kami looks as Bane just coming to "He's a wolf..."

"No way..." Tsujin said as he shot a glare at Yamamoto as he rubbed his chin and said "Interesting" for the umpteenth time and Kami growled "Raimundo"

Raimundo looked at Kami at the sound of his name as he shook his head for him to stand down from picking a fight with Yamamoto

"We figured we could take the boy to someone who could explain why he's a wolf, as you put it"

"It's Taeger, isn't it?" Kami asked as Tsujin replied "You knew?"

"By the look on Scar's face, yes" Kami said "I have business to take care of, so I won't be accompanying you...wake up, Asakura" he smacked Bane in the face knowing he was listening.

"What happened to you?" Scar asked with a chuckle "You look like your master was beating you shitless the whole time you were out"

"I think I died, then something stronger inside me took over" Bane tried to explain "It's kind of hard to explain, but do I really have to meet this Ghoul...who is he?"

"Alphonse Taeger...my asshole of a master" Scar scowled slightly but put a hand on Bane's head "If anyone knows what's going on in that head, it would be him. Get ready, we're leaving." Bane and Kami both looked at each other, Kami had that look in his eye that he was planning something concerning Bane's wolf transformation.

 **A few hours later, Scar was on his way through the forest followed by Bane, Raimundo and Yamamoto.**

 _'Nani ga mondaina no? ...Anata ga yukkuri to yukkuri to ugoite irunata, anata wa sore o kōkai suru tsumorida, ōkami'_ (What's the matter...you're going to regret it if you're moving so slow on purpose, wolf.) Scar said as they stopped for him to catch up "I'm not slow..." He replied as the were off again.

 _'Poor little Bane...so slow, let me take over as I'm faster than you are, little boy'_ the voice sounded much more evil and very angered as Bane scowled "He better find a way to stop this voice in my head at least"

"That'll only happen if you show respect" Scar said "no matter how mean and disrespectful he is" Bane nodded, he wasn't going to get angry if he could avoid it.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, a man came out of his home...his skin was a bright red and his lower canines had grown out of his mouth a bit, he was staggering in size, strength and temper. It was unbelievable that Kami was actually older than him but he didn't hold as much respect for Kami as Kami did for him.**

Alphonse Taeger stood outside his home, his silver eyes being the only thing sharper than his tongue "Someone's coming, I sense it and one of them is strong as he is strange" Taeger had a rough experience during the Binge War as he wasn't a Binge Eater and his only family was eaten as he was forced to watch her die. He knew it was because of his weakness and from then on refused to ever use magic - for any purpose - ever again, locking it away deep within himself as he focused on his own power as a master martial artist.

He had many students, including Scar who was terrible when he first started until Taeger pushed and drilled far beyond his limit...the training alone almost killed him but Scar respected Taeger far more than Taeger respected him, also blaming Taeger for taking his frustrations from the war out on him which Alphonse neither attests to nor did he fully deny as he had the memory of an elephant and remembered not only what sparked the Binge War but what ended it and who killed the one person deserving of his utmost respect.

"They're coming here...which means someone I trained is among them" Taeger raised his large hand to remove the tiny glasses from his face and crush the useless thing as he could see much better without them anyway "I don't know why they seek me out but I won't be helping them with anything." He turned and entered his home which was huge and slammed the door shut.

 **Back with Bane, he couldn't help but feel like they were being watched as the came closer to Taeger, it bothered Scar as well.**

"We're almost there..." Scar looked determined to find Taeger and Bane seemed bothered as he could sense everyone's magic but not anything new like supposedly Taeger's "Shouldn't we be able to sense this guy by now if even Kami knows him?"

"I highly doubt that..." Scar said "but why should I spoil the fun, when you're about to see him face to face"

 **They made it to Taeger's home and he stood right behind his closed door, his silver eyes looking cracked as the veins around them bulged...black was beginning to creep into his eyes but he suppressed it with his overwhelming will for now.**

"Old man, open up!" Scar said as Taeger laughed "Ryuken-san, is that you?"

"You've gotten some nerve to talk to me like that, boy" Taeger growled, trying to control both his anger but also his Ghoul side which he suppressed since the war and it feeds on his anger in order to take over his body as he gave an animalistic smile "Tell me, do you still hate me for my way of training you?"

"Let me think..." Scar said sarcastically before kicking the door open and growling "Yes"

"The veins around his eyes are bulging, is that supposed to happen?" Bane asks Yamamoto who shrugs in confusion as Taeger's attention turned to Bane as he said lifting and throwing Scar "Get to why you've interrupted my retirement in solitude before I get to killing you"

"I wasn't sent here by Lord Kami to go back empty handed" Scar threw Taeger out of the house and jumped, coming down on him with both feet, kicking up a cloud of dust as he replied sharply "Too bad I have no intention of going _anywhere_ willingly with _you_ anytime soon"

Bane saw Taeger's hand fall and thought he was out for the count until he snarled "Get off me!" He threw Scar several feet into the air and kicked him before he hit the ground.

He then turned to Bane and the others, he'd suppressed his Ghoul side for so long that he'd gone through at least three personality changes before just becoming more ruthless than he already was "That power I've been sensing is yours, isn't it?"

His eyes turned black but remained a menacing quicksilver as he momentarily lost the battle with his Ghoul side as his terrifying strength came closer to easily strangling Bane, which in turn triggered Bane's powers as his eyes glowed red and a vortex of Wind levitated both into the air.

"Uh Oh" Raimundo made his way into the vortex and tried to knock Taeger out, but exactly what he didn't want to happen happened as Taeger grabbed him around his stomach as his shirt was ripped, showing his entirely red body and the full length of his spiky black with white tipped hair.

"I think I've had enough fun with you dimwits" Taeger growled as he freed Bane, which caused the vortex to die down as he tossed Raimundo aside.

Scar looked at him with a growl "Well, are you done?"

 _'Un, watashi wa anata no tōn ga sukida to wa omowanai, gakusei'_ (Yeah, I don't think I like your tone, student) Taeger snarled as Scar snarled "Learn to love it"

"So, that means I can relax now?" Raimundo got between the master and student as they both said at the same time "No, it doesn't."

"I think we should head back..." Tazaki held Bane's shoulder as the young Ghoul jumped "Why?"

"He won't be coming with us..." Tazaki said "he likes his space"

"Go back without me..." Scar said with his arms folded as Taeger snarled "Out!" before throwing Raimundo out of his home.

"I have some things I plan to make him answer if I have to" Scar said plainly as they nodded, all but Bane fully understanding his reasons.

* * *

 **Everyone made their way back to the city as Taeger noticed his student's presence remaining outside his home as the others left...Outside the city, J'onn was ready to enact his plan to draw out and lure Kami to him by taking control of Yang and Zaheer thanks to the little power up he gave them to eat foolishly. He knew Kami and Yang were heading for the same location and anticipated the look on Kuro's face when he sees his master, alive and well, again**

Yang quickly made it into the deep forest to where Zaheer was fighting Scar and company...he was having a bad feeling about coming here "I don't like the feeling I'm getting here..." He found the underground hatch Bane used to escape, but a crippling feeling stopped him in his tracks as he could practically feel J'onn smile.

He sensed Kami coming after him as well and foresaw a reunion between the two won't be pretty at all.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Kami and J'onn were indeed on their way...Kami sensed that Yang had stopped as well as a malicious power that he sensed momentarily when he first fought Yang but nowhere near this potent...**

Kami had been moving through the forest for some time, he noticed Yang's tracks were becoming more...sporadic and confusing _'He's trying to steer me off his trail...he's clearly forgotten who taught him this tactic-'_ he was cut from his own thoughts when he sensed eternal darkness and felt in the middle of it, was a extremely weak and faint power that was unmistakably his master, J'onn _'No...J'onn should be dead, but why do I sense him? I hope I was both right and wrong about this'_

* * *

 **...with J'onn...**

J'onn moved fast through the forest and the moment he sensed Kami, he smiled evilly _'My plan to kill you has come faster than even I anticipated, Kami'_ he thought it over for a second and figured that his mysterious master would make sure he wasn't far behind if he learned Kami was dead...he had tried and failed to seize the ignorant, wild but proud and very powerful former student's body before.

Kami was the the first for Yang to see, he was covered in a black aura and seemed to already know J'onn was coming as he snarled "The One...the same vile being that possessed me the day my master went missing."

"I'm thrilled that you remember that..." J'onn said as he walked out into the opening, he glared at Yang for a moment "J'onn Lucario Lebeau died that night however, today...you'll join him!"

Kami's head dropped as he seethed, his body smoking "I- you're still alive...this is good" Kami whispered as he grinned evilly and even laughed a bit, the very sight of J'onn was driving him insane but felt he shouldn't hide behind that repulsively powerful and atrocious former King of Demons when it wasn't fooling anyone that he's still a Ghoul but very far from ordinary one "but you're not the one I was talking to, Demon, I was speaking to my master, J'onn!"

"Grr" J'onn growled as he sensed Kami's anger raise and so did his power, which was tied closely to his strongest emotions like his rage.

"Die" both snapped as they closed the distance between them in seconds and fists colided in a burst of red and black flames, one pushing the other as J'onn said "Kami, you long to be by your master's side again...I know you believe that"

Kami swung a flurry of kicks that J'onn dodged before punching Kami in the chest and knocking him back, he knew he couldn't win and J'onn was easily holding back

"That no longer works on me, I'll make you wish you screwed with another Ghoul Lord" Kami snarled, he know however that he wasn't going to win this fight...now and knew that J'onn knew the same thing, but if he was going down it wasn't going to be alone or without a fight as they jumped back from each other and glared at each other's eyes.

Yang came to J'onn's side, just to get under his old master's skin "You've lost...Kurosaki-san" he said as Kami rose a hand with his palm facing the air.

Yang thought for a second than this was Kami conceding defeat, but knew he would never bow to defeat until he was dead, even though his eyes showed none of that determined spark...

"Kill him..." J'onn ordered Yang and he found himself against his will moving to kill Kami, who was not moving and wide open, instead of kicking the old man in the throat for daring to give him orders, Yang was absolutely _no one's_ underling.

Flames began to form above Kami's hand slowly taking the form of a black shuriken "Amaterasu..." Kami felt like his throat was crushed by just being in his old master's presence as it brought back old unwanted memories

* * *

 _I'm not strong enough...indefinitely_

 _Master...lend me your strength, I know you can't die_ _ **that**_ _easily!_

* * *

Amaterasu glowed with it's master's desire as a Shuriken that formed grew exponentially "Amaterasu can't be fuelled by my rage alone" Kami felt blood in his mouth, he even tasted his own blood and didn't care at the moment if he was killed, as long as he reduced the man that hurt his student to a pile of ashes as he spat his blood at the black flames, giving it a visible red tint _'Amaterasu Ryūketsu Kagetsuchi!'_ (Blood-soaked Amaterasu Storm Kagetsuchi!) Kami tossed the Shuriken at the two as J'onn smiled evilly as he and Yang disappeared through a dimensional portal at almost the last minute.

Kami fell to his knees, but managed to burn claw marks on his body to make it look like he was attacked by Wolf-Bane...as much as he doesn't want his student to worry or feel responsible when he didn't need to be, he can't let anyone know that he'd found J'onn yet as he lost consciousness.

* * *

 **Back with Scar, he was still outside Taeger's home awaiting his old master to get out and face him, something Alphonse Taeger had no intention of doing but every intention of making him wait for...that was when Taeger sensed Kami, who wasn't anywhere remotely nearby and went out to find Scar still there.**

"Go away" Taeger growled as he came back outside to find Scar meditating outside with the razor edged reply "When you come back with me, gladly"

"I'll do that when pigs fly...but maybe you can't be _completely_ utterly useless" he took off into the forest as Scar glared at him, but followed him "Where are we even going?"

Taeger remained silent and glanced at him over his shoulder for a moment, as if making sure he was still following, he may have cared for Scar especially in the past but that just it now, the past...He wasn't a child anymore and Taeger wasn't one to indulge in childishness, even with a child...something Scar never even knew or cared for, for that matter.

 **Taeger stopped in his tracks as he felt his body chill, seeing his old comrade, Kami Kurosaki looking like he was about to die. Scar, having seen the Ghoul Lord looking worse didn't seem as surprised by this but made eye contact with Kami and felt all the pain he felt...none of which seemed to be from his injuries.**

"Taeger-san...never thought I'd be in this position if we met again" Kami said as Taeger helped him up replying "Get up so I can knock you senseless, Kurosaki...I was usually in your position when we did meet, if memory serves"

 _'Sore wa mada seiri suru koto ga dekimasu dekimasu... Shunkan o dainashi ni shitte, watashi was kojin-teki ni anata o kizutsukerudeshou'_ (That can still be arranged...ruin the moment and I will personally cripple you) Kami chuckled as Taeger helped him to his feet but stopped and whispered...a mask of a white tiger appearing on his face _'Watashi ga anata o otosa sete wa ikenai'_ (Don't make me drop you)

"Get away from me, I need to find Bane" Kami said as Taeger became suspicious right away "You look like shit...something attacked you and you're worried about your half-wit apprentice?"

"Who did attack you, milord?" Scar dared to ask as Kami decided to lie to the two men that were most likely to murder his apprentice and get on his hit list "It was...Asakura-san, I'm sure you've noticed his unlimited potential?"

Taeger was beginning to look as murderous as only Kami knew him to be as he nodded "It wasn't hard to miss if you know how to look."

"Bring Bane to me..." Kami growled, he could find him himself but chose not to "use as much excessive force as you wish, but allow him to escape or kill him and you'll join him"

"I think I'll kill him then" Taeger always knew how to test Kami as he gave a feral smile, knowing wasn't very easy to kill, even for one of the most powerful Fire magic in the world, Kami's Amaterasu.

"Have you forgotten what I did the last time you threatened my life?" Alphonse smirked as he left as Kami hid his smirk "No, I haven't..."

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Bane had just returned to Kami's home, but found no one there...he also felt like every eye in the city was on him.**

Bane went through every part of the house he expected Kami to be in "Master...?"

No answer...Bane wasn't very worried as no one with a functioning brain would mess with Kami unless they were more powerful than him, which was no one in this city at least.

That was when he remembered that the Library belonged to Kami's old master and he spent a lot of time there "Maybe he's at the library..." He headed off in the direction of the library.

 **Little did he know, Taeger had just found him and was planning how to attack him...with Kami, he was now alone and decided to use a hired hand to bring J'onn and Yang to him dead or alive.**

There was a knock on the door but no answer as Kami said "You're early..."

"Don't patronize me, Ghoul Lord..." The man said as he stepped into the room and leaned against the wall "I'm a Bounty Hunter, not your errand boy"

"Kakuzu...you're as unfriendly as ever" Kami said as Kakuzu narrowed his dark red eyes "What do you want and how much are ya paying, Lord Kurosaki?"

"Find these men" Kami placed a picture of J'onn and Yang as Kakuzu raised an eyebrow, very curious "Bring them to me alive...barely"

"And about my payment?" Kakuzu gasped at the largest bag of money he's seen in quite some time, but when he reached for it, Kami kept it just out of his reach causing the Bounty Hunter to look at him cautiously, but still curious "Bring only one of them and you only receive only half this handsome payment" he chuckles a bit.

"You know how to play your cards, Kurosaki!" Kakuzu laughed "I'll do it, as long as you keep my candy nice and sweet" he spoke of the money as he snatched the pictures and went to the door.

Kakuzu took one last look at Kami as he opened the door "There's no time limit, is there?" Kami replied "I would prefer this done discreetly and as quickly as possible, but you can take as long as you see fit to see what they're up to" Kakuzu shrugged as he left "We never met then..."

 **Bane made his way to where Kami was, but on his way in he crashed into Kakuzu on his way out.**

Bane entered the building but crashed into something strong and fell on his butt, Kakuzu didn't budge and stared down at him _'Anata ga okonatte iru basho o mitte, orokana kakko'_ (Watch where you're going, stupid brat) he threatened as he cracked his knuckles and hid the pictures Kami gave him.

 _'Gomen'nasai'_ (I'm sorry) Bane got to his feet _'Shikashi, anata wa Kurosaki-shi o mita koko ga arimasu ka?'_ (But have you seen Master Kurosaki?)

 _'Masuta-shin, anata wa iu?'_ (Master Kami, you say?) Kakuzu smiled darkly, something Bane didn't know if he liked or trusted _'Moshiwakearimasenga, watashi no sukinahito ni aruite sore o katto suru tsumori wanai'_ (Sorry isn't going to cut it for walking into the likes of me, brat)

Bane was Kakuzu was going to kill him then and there until he said "Kami-sama's not going to like it if you lay hands on me...I'm sure you've heard"

"I have...I don't care, I'm not easy to kill" Kakuzu grabbed Bane's collar as his stitches opened under his cloak but then they closed and he dropped Bane and growled, putting him down and patting his head "I have business and bounty elsewhere, take this and don't lose it...we never met" Kakuzu tossed Bane a gold coin and walked off "Lose or sell it and I'll find and kill you"

"How?" Bane asks as a cold glare from Kakuzu shut him up "That's for me to know and you to find out"

* * *

 **A/N - Kami sets up Bane to fight him after crossing paths with J'onn, after sending Kakuzu after Yang and J'onn (hoping he has enough money not to be betrayed) while Scar's old master Alphonse Taeger is after Bane himself...What's Kami up to in order to have Bane fight him seriously enough that he makes Taeger think Wolf-Bane attacked him?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Be Very Afraid of the Dark**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Bane entered the building to see Kami, but could feel like he was being watched when he saw Kakuzu sitting and watching him, as if waiting for something fun to happen.**

Bane looked to see Kakuzu sitting on a large rock and looking at him creepily as he asked "Why are you still here?"

"This should be fun...I ain't missin' it" Kakuzu said, wondering if Asakura was the reason Kami was in the mood he was in "I wouldn't keep him waiting if I were you"

Bane wondered why Kakuzu looked at him like that, but decided to ignore it as he entered but flinched, almost expecting the doors to close behind him on their own but they didn't and he could feel Kami's anger...what could make him mad at Bane?

He went in and found Kami, he hadn't moved from where Kakuzu had left him "Bane...you ready, datte?" He said creepily as he slowly rose his head to show his pupil less black eyes

"For what...?" Bane hesitated to ask as he felt the whole room was shaking, but this was only his first taste of Kami's full power as the Ghoul Lord growled "Your training, I thought the only way I could train you was if I don't hold back...I suggest you do the same and...brace yourself"

"Brace myself-?" Bane's eyes widened as Kami raised his hand "Shadow Force..." telekinetically throwing Bane down the hall and out the door as he quickly used another ability by raising his hand, alternating quickly from Fire Magic, to Dark Magic and back to his main specialty, Fire in the form of Amaterasu "Kagetsuchi..." He threw a smaller Shuriken at Bane who saw it coming and used Wind to absorb the brute force of the attack.

"Too strong" Bane said struggling as he was dragged across the ground before being stopped by a tree he toppled, Kami's mental control of Amaterasu prevented the Eternal Flame from burning him endlessly to a crisp, but that was the only handicap he will be getting.

* * *

 **Suddenly, Bane freezes as he gets a vision of him doing something he has little to no recollection of...**

 _'Give into the power...let my power - our power - take over'_ Bane heard that voice and remembered being cornered by Zaheer and seeing those menacing red wolf eyes

Then nothing...everything was blank and unable to remember...

He recollected halfway across the city, between Kami and his father as a tremendously powerful force knocked them both aside before they clashed with _it_ or each other

Later Bane was just becoming conscious again, this time he was laying on a bed and Kami was over him, worried and equally sadistic looking. His blue orbs never leaving his apprentice.

* * *

 **Back in the present, Kami seems to have taken notice that Bane was spaced out and knew that he was the wolf, not that it was hard to figure out without Kami telling him.**

Kami smiled "Now you remember..." Bane smiled as well "Yes, master but I won't let you beat me"

"Oh, we'll see about that" Kami charged as his temper subsided enough that he could instruct Bane but his pride dictated for him to give him a beating to remember...

 _'Watashi no kōgeki o burokku suru'_ (Block my attack) Kami instructed as Bane blocked his oncoming punch but Kami snarled "Only thing you should be paying attention to..." He kicked him back without warning "...is me!"

 _'Watashi o kōgeki suru'_ (Attack me) Kami gestured for Bane to attack as Bane kicked his as hard as he could across the face, but the Ghoul Lord took it unflinching and began growling, showing a more aggressive side of his personality "Don't tell me _that_ was your best attempt?!" He critiqued harshly as Bane looked into his eyes, this was a mistake as Bane felt the full brunt of what Kami's K.I could do, he didn't fear it but needed to do his utmost best not to set the Ghoul Lord ablaze, for one thing was certain, Kami was very dangerous and that danger grew exponentially depending on how bad his mood was "Do it again and that is all you've got you'd be wasting both my time and your own!"

"Yes, master..." Bane shrank as Kami continued "Avoid eye contact with your adversary, me, until told otherwise!" Bane noticed that this was not the same Kami who he'd become so accustomed to, this was a totally different person and personality from the one Kami originally showed in his presence...calm, caring and precisely observant Kami became closer to the cold, twice as observant and pretty angry Kami

Bane remembered during the explanations of each type of Magic that Wind was faster than the others and decided to use this to his advantage as he created a small tornado and fed it rapidly with more air before sending it at Kami but he ran straight at it, before jumping into the top, where the lightest air is then out as he ended up under Bane's blind spot with great speed "How'd you-?" Bane said as Kami growled "I warned you not to take your eyes off me..." He kicked Bane into the air easily.

"Damn..." Bane grit his teeth as Kami looked into the forest, far from calm as he sensed someone he didn't want to be around him right now coming, Taeger "I think we should take out training elsewhere...this was a gift from the German Ghoul Lord, Bjorn Tartaron...someone who has had very impossible expectations...maybe I'll tell you more someday"

Kami raised a hand, making a portal open in the air as Bane flew into the black unknown, Kami looked at Kakuzu, scowling that he won't be able to see the Ghoul Lord beat the pulp out of his student "Shouldn't you be somewhere?"

"Don't dictate my pace, Ghoul Lord, unless you can afford it" Kakuzu knew Kami did this just to annoy him, a fact that annoyed him even further, but he turned to leave "Kami...I would beware of that boy's untapped potential and power, if I were you...it's a force to be reckoned with, or it can be if put to the right use" he smiled darkly, he could sense Bane's power fully...even the part that he has yet to tap into that Kami can't sense.

Kami pondered on his words as another portal appeared and swallowed Kami, their powers once in the other dimension.

Kakuzu drew his eyebrows together once the Ghoul Lord was gone "Killjoy..." He growled

 **Just as Kami and Bane was gone, their powers also gone as if they didn't exist, Taeger appeared, he may no longer have his magic but he still had far beyond human everything else and isn't too pleased that Kami has been avoiding him to train Asakura.**

Taeger appeared in the forest from the air, landing and cracking the earth with his bare hands and feet, he smiled knowing that he'd finished his job and that although he can't even sense magic anymore, Kami and Bane were just on this very spot. His nose makes him a magic bloodhound, he could smell it.

He looked to the trees where Kakuzu was, but the Bounty Hunter was long gone...seeing no reason to stay if he can't see Bane fight "Kami's avoiding me...I want to know what's going on and I know just who to ask" he smiled and shook his head as he left to go back to the city and find Scar.

* * *

 **Elsewhere in the city, Councilman Zane was couped up in the Library and was practically turning it upside down to find what he seemed, Scar was with him guarding him but watching his every move as Kakuzu walked in...**

Scar was in the Library with Councilman Zane, who was seeking information on mind control for Kami but due to his curiosity and love of reading (something Scar didn't share), he read every book he touched.

 _'Anata wa watashi no ugoki o subete miru hitsuyō wanai koto o shitte imasu... Sōdesu ka?'_ (You know you don't have to watch my every move..., right?) Zane was reading a book that had nothing to do with what he was looking for, but knew why Scar decided to be here with him and his safety was the least of the Ghoul's concerns.

 _'Oi, sono moto wa, anata wa sagashite iru mono to wa kankeinai... Betsu no mono o erabu'_ (Oy, that book has nothing to do with what you're looking for either...pick another one) Scar scowled as he peeked over the man's shoulder to see that he was reading up on Calligraphy and not Forbidden Magic

The Councilman didn't take kindly to this and found a very heavy book to break Scar's toes with as he barely missed, but got his point across replying _'Soshite anata wa watashi o mamoru basho ga arimasen. Toshokan de watashi o oikakete kuru hito wa dare mo imasenshi, sono jōhō ga chikaradearu to kiita koto wa arimasen ka?'_ (And you have no place guarding me, no one is going to come after me in the library and haven't you heard that information is power?)

Scar opened his mouth to say something, but the Councilman raised an eyebrow as Scar knew he couldn't argue with that "What if you're attacked by someone with a grudge against Kami or you?"

"I understand your words, but there are more people with a grudge against Kami than me...unless they're after my knowledge then there would be trouble" The Councilman's gaze looked up to the higher levels of the building "hm, maybe it's in _that_ section..." He mused, looking around before jumping from level to level as Scar walked to the center of the round room and looked at him, he then smirked with the intention to give the Councilman hell without stopping him from whatever he was looking for as he'd be looking for.

 **Little did he know, Tsujin was in the Restricted Section waiting for him, he even locked himself in waiting for him. Once they were gone, Kakuzu came into the library and followed them, either not knowing or just not caring that they were there.**

"I should be gone already...but a little beforehand info could help against two baka who trained and trained under Kurosaki" Kakuzu made his way to the R-Section the civilized way, running up the stairs "This must be my lucky bounty..."

* * *

 **Upstairs, Scar and Councilman Zane make it to the restricted section of the library, the only door that is locked down with Magic Hell Chains, chains born of Hell that were not only near impossible to break but dangerously risky and stupid.**

Zane slowly moved his hand towards the chains, but Scar stops "I don't think you should touch infernal chains...you'll have your soul sent straight to Hell"

"I've done my home work and I know that" Zane said as a kanji glowed on his palm, unlocking the chains "I wouldn't be enough of a fool to touch these things"

 **Once inside, they met all the restricted items that were not allowed to leave this chamber...and Raimundo, who probably should be the last person allowed to enter this place.**

The first thing Zane wants to do upon seeing Raimundo in the 'Restricted to all but Kami, unless stated otherwise _by_ Kami' Restricted Section is either throw him out through the wall or the closed door "Hey, Ryuken...you know Taeger is out looking for you, right?"

"You...don't touch or break anything, otherwise I'll find someone to break you, got it?" Zane said to Raimundo as he continued and Raimundo scowled childishly _'Dono yō na shitsureina chīsana hyōgi-kai...'_ (What a rude little councilman...) He said _'Anata wa, watashi ga sōtei shite inakatta mono o kowashitari sawattari shitai to omottara, ima hayatte inai to omoimasu ka?'_ (You think if I wanted to break or touch something I wasn't supposed to, I wouldn't have done it by now?)

"Rai...that's enough" Scar sat on the darker side of the room "both of you need to stop arguing"

"Oy, rude Councilman...are there weapons that are considered restricted" Raimundo said, finding some clean spare clothes with a freshly sharpened Longsword and a strange device that looked like a box that was big enough to hold a ring that gave off a nasty vibe in his stomach as Zane replied "No, Raimundo...weapons aren't going to be in the Library's R-Section, only an armory's R-Section for cursed tomes swords etc."

"So...I can take this, right?" Raimundo said as Zane said "Ask me anything about a book or even a legend, but weapons aren't my fortè as much as you may think, so I won't take it from you unless it's personally mine"

Just then, Kakuzu came to the door and looked at the three...Councilman Zane had his head buried in several books but was aware that he was there, something Kakuzu could respect, Scar came into the light and had his eyes on every move Kakuzu made, he was surprised that Kakuzu took off the mask he always wore over his mouth, hiding the stitching on either side of his face.

Finally, dead silence in the room, Kakuzu looks slowly at Raimundo with a sword, undoubtedly being the property of this enigmatic, greedy Bounty Hunter, strapped to his back...Kakuzu did not like that.

"Kaku-san, like my new sword?" Raimundo showed off the weapon as Kakuzu's head leans to took at him strangely "Nice stitches, I almost thought you didn't have a mouth"

"Kaku-san?" Kakuzu hated nicknames, among a lot of things "you thought wrong, hand me the blade and never speak word of my stitches again and I'll let this one slide"

"What?" Raimundo said "Finders keepers"

"The head of the Hunters Guilds, a nosy Councilman and the twin brother of _Shisha no Sunatsu Suna_ , Tsujin of the Dead Sand" Kakuzu said as Raimundo's face was filled with rage at the sound of that name

"My brother isn't that kind of man anymore" Rai said as Kakuzu said "Evil can be easily masked to look good but in the end, evil is still evil and good is still good and his change of heart came as soon as he caught my attention...but let's get to the problem at hand"

"Rai..." Scar noticed a change in the Ghoul he's known for so long, becoming enraged although he and Zane knew very little of this or the family that the twins never speak about "don't listen to him...you've both changed"

"Keep thinking that...you both can use Fire and Earth repectively, but Kami will have the head of absolutely anyone who defiles or worse unleashes whatever evils in here and that's if this Councilman here doesn't beat Kami to it" he gestured to Zane.

"You use Fire as well, so you're in no place to say that" Scar said as Kakuzu replied "Correct but I can also use Dark Magic"

"Let's play a game..." Kakuzu began dragging Raimundo towards him before grabbing his ankle and hanging him over the balcony as he screamed "Are you insane?!"

 _'Gēmu wa itsutsu no chīsana neko to yoba re, subete no neko ga nakunaru to, anata wa shibafu no yogore ni narimasu'_ (The game is called five little cats, once all the cats are gone, you'll be a grass stain) Kakuzu chuckled and looked down at Raimundo "Maybe this will teach you respect for your elders, hm?"

"Kakuzu, don't" Scar warned as Kakuzu narrowed his eyes and started counting _'Go'_ (Five) he released his pinky

"Rai, return the sword!" Scar warned as Raimundo yelled "Yeah, right!"

That caused Scar to shoot Lightning at him, he hadn't mastered this yet but grazed Kakuzu's uniform as he skipped two fingers _'Shi, San'_ (Four, Three)

"I'm running out of cats, Rai-sama" Kakuzu said as Raimundo slid the sword next to Kakuzu's feet "Alright, I'll give it!"

Kakuzu took his sword and brought Raimundo to safety, Raimundo grabbed his wrist "What do you know about my family?"

Kakuzu frowned as he went over to his stuff and took his armor off, a more expensive thus Elite armor than the usual Bounty Hunters garb, under which he wore regular civilian clothes for when his target knew him and hid among people Kakuzu had no quarrel with and wouldn't kill "Your clan...is about as old and large as the Kurosaki clan, but not as known. I was given a bounty to bring you two here and kill you if you said or did otherwise to what I said"

"What...?" Raimundo wasn't stupid, but Kakuzu's words were beginning to bother him "I barely remember my family but they'd never hand us off to you!"

"Oh, is that so?" Kakuzu looked at him as he put his armor back on "Your father himself gave you to me in order to keep you alive...something about you being special, Tsu-san had a mastery for manipulating Sand and was bloodthirsty as fuck...his sand turned blood red while you could manipulate metals, you were a bit of a half-wit and never showed much control for this ability but you were clearly the more powerful of the two. As for why he agreed wholeheartedly to me taking you, it was your mother's dying wish...she knew me by name and reputation"

"I had no intention whatsoever of making you apprentices to me, or anyone else, so I came back here to see see the then new Ghoul Lord..."

"Kami..." Raimundo said as Kakuzu nodded "...who happily took you, seeing as you're abilities are as rare as Kami's own Amaterasu and the Asakura Clan's shadows, you're both very special"

Raimundo ran up to hug Kakuzu, but barely missed a foot in the jaw "Go hug a tree!"

* * *

 **Back with Kami, Bane was curious as to how many different types of Ghouls there were as he trained with Kami for a full hour which felt like two days.**

"The Ghoul that tried to kill me...you said that both you and he were Binge Eaters but no mention of father, right?" Bane asked as they continued sparring and Kami replied "Yeah, why'd you ask?"

"Well, are there other types of Ghouls besides normal Ghouls like me and Binge Eaters like you?" Bane asks as Kami pointed at him "Yes...but you're anything but a 'normal Ghoul' as you put it, you're growing stronger and holding your own with me."

Bane smiled, feeling happy about that "What about my father...?"

"...and my master who happens to be alive?" Kami asked as well "We'll deal with your father but let's teach you about the Ghouls"

"There are the Bounty Hunters...they hunt down traitors, fugitives and just about anyone if you've got the right price to persuade them" Kami explained as Bane remembered Kakuzu and said "Like that man, Kakuzu?"

"Kakuzu?" Kami seemed surprised as Bane rubbed the back of his neck "I kind of crashed into him and he told me where you were"

"He doesn't know you're my apprentice, does he?" Kami stopped attacking Bane who said "He kinda guessed, but I'm not sure..."

"We'll worry about that later..." Kami raised a hand as he went on "there are Hunters who hunt our prey and nothing more, Protectors who never leave the borders of the city and allow no unorthorized entry...they don't tend to be merciful and should've killed Yang...once you're banished, you will be killed if you even come close to the city but he seemed to have protection that he entered unhindered"

"You mentioned him having help...someone from your past" Bane said, feeling that Kami was hiding something as he'd felt something evil, namely J'onn who was Kami's master "Someone who wants to kill you and talked my father into betraying you...and me"

 _'He's caught on quickly...he's smarter that I give him credit for although that isn't one of Yang's traits, it may be a trait of the Asakura Clan...they are regarded as tactical geniuses and very hard people to lie to...deserving of even my praise'_ Kami thought as he scowled "Yes, it was my master...he was the one I fought and Taeger is convinced it was you."

"I have to get away from that guy...I don't like how he looks at me" Bane said as Kami replied "Once he wants something, he'll go through anyone and anything to get it and isn't an easy man to persuade otherwise, he has attacked me personally before, I can't say why he hates me and many people but don't let his lack of magic fool you that he's not equally dangerous as you or me, being only sixty years older than me."

"So...how old are you?" Bane said as Kami snapped "None of you business, fool...anyway, there's those boring Councilmen, call them my seekers to find any information that I can't find myself...they're usually not seen as they're always busy"

* * *

 **Kami continued explanations to Bane, meanwhile Taeger is in the library and has a run-in with Raimundo who seems to be hiding behind Kakuzu, much to the Bounty Hunter's displeasure...although he really doesn't want to suffer the Bounty Hunter's fury, he isn't acting like it.**

Kakuzu walked out of the room and headed downstairs, with Raimundo following at a safe distance

At the same time that the two makes it downstairs, Taeger came through the door.

Raimundo thinks fast and ducks under Kakuzu's cloak, Kakuzu takes a heavy sigh "Oy, space for only one..." He started stomping on Raimundo, forcing him out "Do you have a death wish, teme nii-san?"

"Taeger...what are you doing here?" Raimundo was cautious as Kakuzu snarled and pushed him hard against the wall as he pointed a finger "I'll burn you to a crisp if you come within 50 feet of me again"

"Where's Scar?" Taeger asks as he was sure he felt a vein pop in his head "Dare I ask what he's even doing?"

"Taeger?" Raimundo asked, not noticing the tension between the two "Scar's upstairs but what're you doing here?"

"I came here to break his bones...wasn't expecting moron and half rate Hunter" Taeger said as Kakuzu elbowed Raimundo in the face "You better be calling this one the moron"

"We both know we don't share a sense of humor" Taeger said "but we've both never been able to even touch each other and I plan to change that"

"I think I have enough leftover magic to put you in your place finally" Taeger snarled as they charged at each other

The energy in the air was stifling between the two, Taeger's fighting...at least for the past 30 years, even after he refused to fight again and stopped are well known but little to nothing is known of Kakuzu's skills. Only that he never fails a given bounty and isn't one to take bounties where he has to return his target alive.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Yang and J'onn were in a different location to the one where they'd met, a human city, where they were easily camoflaged by J'onn in a club frequently used by both Humans and unknowingly to them, the Ghouls as they discuss what to do and Yang seems determined to meet J'onn's 'master'**

This Club was normal to the naked eye, with the amount of people here...but little did they know that this was one of many around the world going by different names and that they were sitting side by side with just about every creature of the night and nightmares.

From Warlocks and Witches, to Vampires, Werewolves and Ghouls...with the rare occurrence of your disguised Angel or Demon.

Yang and J'onn were on a higher lever to the ecstatic music and neons below and Yang hated it here...J'onn didn't know what put him in such a foul mood but didn't care as long as he accomplished his goal, which he didn't.

"You shouldn't be in such a bad mood, friend..." J'onn tried to touch Yang's shoulder as he gave him a glare from the corner of his eye _'Watashi ni sawarenai de, watashi was koko de sore ga kiraidesu'_ (Don't touch me and I hate it here)

"You want to dance, handsome?" A woman came and put her arm around Yang's shoulder as he looked up "Touch me again, succubus and I'll rip your arms off" he glared at her as he grabbed her arm tightly, earning attention from the others "Get lost"

"I stopped sensing Kami and the boy on our way here..." J'onn said "I get the feeling he's up to something"

"It was quite a risk you took there...revealing yourself to Kami" Yang argued "Now he knows you're alive and will still go out of his way to stop us, while persuading you to return to how you were before your 'a little too untimely' demise"

J'onn pulled out a crystal ball, not caring what Kami tried to stop him as he touched it and saw Bane as he was killed by Zaheer and then turned into a wolf...reviving himself somehow "Look at this..."

Yang gripped his glass, it was stronger than normal glass due to everyone here having a different degree of superhuman strength as Yang shattered it, but it was still whole and useable "I thought I told him not to touch Bane..." Yang snarled

"He's alive...I can't allow Kami to capture him but don't kill him, bring him to me here first" J'onn said "My master would love to have a word with you both"

"Finally, a reason to get out of here" Yang got up and left.

* * *

 **Little did either of them know, Kami had friends in high places here that could watch them without their knowledge...one of which was Gin Tsubaki, a Half-Demon trickster who is allied with both his own kind and the Ghouls but trusts only himself as well as the bartender, who suddenly had a huge animalistic grin on his face as he looked at Gin.**

"Hey, Gin...looks like we've found someone of interest" one of the bartenders said over the counter to the trickster as a thin smile came on his face from ear to ear under his fancy hat and matching bright green on black suit "Of interest, you say?"

He looked up as the bartender nudged his head in J'onn and Yang's direction as Yang snaps at a waitress "Interesting indeed, but even I wouldn't annoy him any further if I was her" Gin's snake-like tongue flicked out "Dumbest Succubus I've ever known, cute but equally if not more stupid"

Yang then started leaving as J'onn remained where he was, a grin on his face showing his deceit.

Yang stormed right past Gin and out the door as he smirked "Someone's eager to leave...follow him" he ordered a summoned snake as it followed him as he decided to leave as well "I think a certain Ghoul Lord would love to hear about this...almost as much as a certain Demon Lord" he sent another snake to find Azazel.

He then disappeared in a haze of purple flames, little did he know J'onn was watching him.

"I guess it'll only be a matter of time before he knows anyway..." J'onn said as he made no attempt to show that he knew what the Half-Demon was up to as he decided to call up another seductive waitress.

 **A/N - What does Yang plan to do and why is J'onn's 'master' wanting to see Yang...also how is Kami going to take a unwarranted and obviously unwanted visit from Azazel? We'll see next time.**

* * *

 **Azazel was somewhere in a European Jungle, he had no reason to be here but felt the need to visit the Human World after so long when a small snake crawled up his arm.**

"What's this?" Azazel could hear everything Gin heard as the man himself appeared in a tree near him "Half-breed, why have you come to me?"

"Please, Azazel-sama...I mean no harm or disrespect, I am only here to relay a message" Gin said, trying to appease the Demon Lord as he knew the rumors that Azazel, although he didn't look like it, was the last Demon Lord you'd ever wish to anger...being worse that Satan himself as Gin, still being half-Human, was evidently scared of him and wanted to relay his message and get out of his sight as fast as he can "You heard the message, right?"

"Yes...and I'm interested" Azazel smiled, he wasn't angry but Gin had seen and heard just how fast that could change and what would happen when he did get mad as he said "I'll be off then..." He wanted to ask why Azazel was in a rainforest, although his reasons for being in the Human World was for many reasons but chose not ask to as he teleported away.

 **Gin left and moments later, was outside the Ghoul City back in Japan but instead of finding Kami, who he oddly couldn't even sense him.**

"Tsujin, you seem...distracted" a Ghoul said to Tsujin as they returned to the city, sent by Kami to find Yang which they were unable to do as Tsujin shook himself out of it "It's nothing...just wondering what could've influenced Yang to do something as stupid as coming back home"

That was when they noticed Gin on his walk into the city and stopped him, he wasn't too pleased with this or not sensing Kami "Who are you and why are you here?" Tsujin and the Hunters got in Gin's way as he narrowed his eyes to slits "That's no concern of yours, where's your leader?"

"Why would we tell you that?" Tsujin said as a sealing barrier was created around him which was then covered by Tsujin's sand.

Gin smiled "Tsk tsk" he teased "You'd have to do better than that" the seal shattered as he starts walking again.

"I'm half-human and Half-Demon, your sealing won't work on me at all" Gin said "I promise I'll be a good snake, but I need to see Kami Kurosaki right now."

"Fine...but I don't trust your silver tongue" Tsujin said as he replied, sticking out his tongue "I'm not giving you a reason to and my tongue ain't that silver...have we met before?" He swore he'd seen Tsujin before but can't recall where as he brushed his white hair out of his charming but dangerous slit dark green eyes.

"No..." Tsujin said but Gin could see his uncertainty in his eyes.

* * *

 **A/N - A Half-Demon appears seeking Kami with information on where J'onn and Yang are, but he's still training in another dimension with Bane and he doesn't intend to tell him that Azazel's coming...that he's going to find out soon enough. R &R!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Be Very Afraid of the Dark**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Kami and Bane resume their training and Bane seemed to want to impress the Ghoul Lord as him holding his own did seem impressive, but not quite enough.**

Bane was on one knee, breathing heavily after the barrage of punches Kami let loose on him, he was serious about not holding back as Bane squeezed his eyes shut as to not cry in Kami's presence.

Kami also plans to get out of here soon, he felt a dark force and didn't like it at all as he looked to the side, both being able to sense magic in the outside world while theirs weren't sensed out there 'It seems his power is closely tied to his emotions...his rage, I must anger him somehow' He thought as an idea came to him as he saw the tears dripping to the ground from the soundless pain Bane felt.

Kami fell to one knee, catching a falling tear "Get up, I may not know your mother but I'll be damned if I let you dishonour her memory and give up"

"I can't keep going!" Bane screamed as Kami hissed "You can and you will, don't you wish to make Yang pay or have you lost that drive you had when we began already?"

"I need you to get angry, very angry with me" Kami explained as Bane shook his head, causing Kami to throw him into the air "Don't you dare tell me you're giving up, I won't allow it!"

 **Bane stopped midair using levitation, a common ability among Wind Magic users but as hard to master as it is to control, but Kami felt he wasn't taking him seriously enough and needed a extra push.**

"Get up...I want you to get angry" Kami instructed as Bane made no attempt at moving, replying "What's the point, I'm no match for you anyway"

Kami scowled "If you weren't a match for me, you never would've held your own for this long...your mother won't be proud that her death was in vain because you were too weak to do anything!"

"Stop. **Right.** Now, Kami" Bane's entire demeanor changes as his darker side makes it's presence known and he glares at Kami, he was pissed at even the mention of his mother's name, Kami smiled as he sensed the same darkness as when Wolf-Bane attacked him.

"Show me, show me your strength...Bane, the more you fight against it, the less control you have!" Kami raised one hand, blasting flames into the air "Amaterasu - Blaze!" He used an ability more attributed to Dark Magic but with his Black Flame, Amaterasu as it bombarded Bane from above, it was pointless to dodge as it came down literally everywhere.

This however, also hid Bane's transformation from Kami's view as the ball of smoke and ash fell to the ground. Kami felt the presence and was on his guard as he thought _'Who's being trained here, me or you?'_ Bane's power rose like there's no tomorrow and Kami was ready for anything at this point.

A orb of flame shot out of the smoke, it was high class magic like Amaterasu, which is one of the most powerful Fire magic one can weild to the point that it has a life all it's own at times...meaning it may be sentient to a degree as Kami dodged by a hair as several more came in rapid succession, all of which almost hit Kami.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Kami said jumping into the air as the Wolf, now revealed to have black fur as the smoke cleared, kept up it's barrage.

 _ **"Must kill...protect..."**_ The Wolf snarled as it fired one last blast and Kami dodged again, only this time the wolf closed it's open hand and the attack imploded before Kami could get to a safe enough distance.

Kami emerged from the smoke, his entire left side marred with healing burns and scars as his eye was kept shut to heal slower than the rest of his already healing body as he looked at his arm and thought 'That was a close shave, I can't risk taking that head on...your mother would have been proud, I'll give you something for that' he charged at Wolf "What is it that you're so willing to protect?"

Wolf-Bane and Kami rush at each other from a distance as Kami snarled "I will make you give up and submit!" As the bloody battle began

* * *

 **Back with Tsujin, he decides to take Jin Tsubaki to see Kami but couldn't help but feel something with a bloodlust that even rivaled Yang's**

Jin could feel the eyes on the back of his neck and although he didn't show it, he held a bit of animosity towards Ghouls and legitimate fear for only one.

"Are you okay, Tsujin-san?" One Ghoul said, looking at the other Ghoul with them with equal worry "You seem to know this guy..."

"Not to mention you don't seem to happy for some reason" the other Ghoul added as Tsujin's sand flash red for a second as he replied "I'm fine...I don't recall seeing his face anywhere before"

"Well, glaring at the back of my head solves nothing..." Jin said looking back and flicking out his tongue through his sly smirk "and I clearly recall seeing you before when your master... that snitchin', lyin', little Kakuzu tried to stop you from killing me, you were a boy then"

"Kakuzu is not my master..." Tsujin snarled

 **They made it to the library, not to see Kami, but Kakuzu himself with Taeger at each other's thoats.**

Kakuzu pushed Taeger off "I'm in no mood for a pissing contest, Taeger" he warned as Taeger only cracked his neck and knuckles in response.

Taeger then looked at Tsujin "Well, if it isn't the very person we were just talking about..."

"What's going on here and what are you talking about that concerns me so much?" Tsujin said as Raimundo came to his brother "Kakuzu keeps saying that you're evil"

"He seems so..." Taeger said as Kakuzu corrected "You _both_ are"

"Explain yourself, Kakuzu-san" Tsujin said as Kakuzu said "As I'll explain...again...you have a darker side ever since you were a child and I took you both in, extreme trauma usually causes this and the loss of you parents is just that"

Tsujin grabbed Kakuzu's collar _'Dono yō no anata wa watashitachi no ryōshin o satsugai shi, anata no kao o koko ni modotte misete kuremasu ka?'_ (How dare you murder our parents and show your face back here?) Kakuzu glared at him, touching him always came with a very severe punishment for the twins as he punched Tsujin hard in the mouth before catching him before he hit the ground for a harder punch as he replied coldly _'Watashi wa anata no ryōshin o mōichido koroshita to iu koto o aete shinaide kudasai... Soshite, watashitachi ga otagai o meisei to meisei de shitte itanode, anata no hahaoya no shi no negaideshita. Watashi mo kanoji watashi to koiniochite ite, watashi wa sore o aishite inai kamo shiremasen'_ (Don't you dare say that I killed your parents again or else...and it was your mother's dying wish as we knew each other by name and reputation, I believe she'd also fallen in love with me and was afraid to tell me or that I may not love her the same way.) Kakuzu said "These belonged to her...now they belong to you two" he tossed to medallions to them, made of a mix of Desert Glass and Metal "I have a metal replica of each for myself, your father said they were hardcrafted, very hard to make and for me to kill you if you lose them...I plan on respecting their wishes"

The twins, as if already knowing what to do, channeled magic into the medallions, making them glow in a myriad of colors as they smiled, Tsujin's medallion shaped as the sun and Raimundo's shaped as an eight point star.

* * *

 **Just when they thought things couldn't get any worse, Yang came by and passed them, heading into the forest to find the entrance to the sewers, Tsujin...seemingly possessed by his red sand followed with Taeger, Raimundo, Kakuzu, Jin and Scar not far behind.**

They made it into the forest but lost Yang "Where did he go?" Tsujin growled as the saw an explosion not far away as Kakuzu said "There's my bounty..."

"Wait" Raimundo said, alarmed that Tsujin was gone without a trace "Where's Tsujin?"

"Yang's that way" Scar said and went that way eager to get back at his former friend as Raimundo said to himself "...and so is nii-san"

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Yang had made it to the entrance to the sewer where he saw Bane apparently get himself killed by Zane, even though he knew he survived somehow, but so did Tsujin and he was in no mood to talk things out.**

Yang stopped running, having used his abilities to give Scar and company the slip, but Tsujin had given the a faster slip as he stood on a high branch watching the traitor.

Yang was certain that he was still being watched, a habit from Kami being not only the man who raised and trained him and others...numbering in the hundreds...but he was also his master, which only happened to a select few that included Yang until death separates them, meaning Kami wouldn't stop trying to change his view of things.

 _'Wait...this is too easy'_ Yang thought as he reached for the entrance to the sewers but jumped out of the way in time from being crushed by sand, blood red sand as he looked to see Tsujin, he wasn't worried but did notice that they were alone and something wasn't right about that bloodthirsty look in Tsujin's eye as they made eye contact.

"Are you here to take me back to Kami or join me?" Yang asks as Tsujin replied venomously "Neither...I thought I was clear the last time we met that I was going to kill you in the bloodiest way possible, not do something as stupid as be your friend again"

Tsujin's sand was opening the Earth right under Yang as he said "You can't beat me...we've done this before" as Tsujin got pissed quickly "Y'know, for one of the main protagonists, you sure know how to talk people to death...I want you to shut up and bleed to death!" Yang jumped in time for Tsujin to form a giant Tanuki head with sharp teeth to swallow him on the ground but Yang evaded it and joined him in the trees.

"Not today..." Yang smiled as they started fighting hand to hand and Tsujin smirked "What, no Wind today...do you remember what I did you the last time?"

"You mean try to attack that absolute defence/offence of yours haphazardly again?" Yang said shaking his head "No, I have a strategy this time...won't want that sand in the air or my lungs and I want to see just how absolute those powers are, Sunatsu Suna-sama" he used his speed to punch and kick at Tsujin who did nothing as the sand defended him of it's own accord

"Aah!" Tsujin threw a punch, but instead of his real fist, a giant sand fist slammed him against the trunk of another tree before he sent shards of red sand blades right through Yang's body, the more pain he inflicted the more he wanted to "This is fun, we should do this more often, traitor"

 **Yang's high speed prevented him from being impailed as he became furious, letting out all the anger that he couldn't find Kami and Bane but his every attack was predicted, thus deflected or dodged. The others had arrived though...**

"You...I've been wanting to have a word with him" Taeger appeared mid air between the two as Tsujin snarled "Then you will die with him!"

"I'm tired of warning people with big mouths to shut up..." He looks at Yang coming from below as he spun, grabbing Tsujin and throwing him head first into the ground and kicking Yang with neck breaking force through the trees.

Tsujin had come to his senses, his original personality to see Taeger coming down on him from the air feet first "What the hell are you doing?!" He screamed running on all four as far from Taeger as possible who smirked "I'm this deadly without my magic...just imagine how deadly I'd be with it..." He looked at his hand, wondering if his lost powers were coming back, something he could live without then sneered creepily at Tsujin

"Doesn't look like Yang's coming back..." Raimundo said as he spied a blade in Taeger's pocket and smirked as Scar asks "Out of my own curiosity, Raimundo...how were you able to get into the Restricted Section before I got there?"

Kakuzu remained silent, smiling under his mask as he was also curious as Raimundo said nonchalantly, as if anyone could do what he did "Oh, I picked the lock...I used to be a thief, I was just making sure I still had the skills"

Both men had wide eyes at him as Kakuzu asked "Are you dead serious...you do know what your Ghoul Lord is going to do to you if you're caught, right?" He thought about it "the same Ghoul Lord who spends a lot of time in that very Library"

"I try not to think about it, since I'll be so deep in concentration that I won't know if Kami caught me" Raimundo thought about Kami's reaction "but yeah, I think I should be more mindful of it or Kami won't let me live long enough to even think about regretting it"

He jumped down to see his brother "Wow...you look like shit, Tsujin" he said as Tsujin laid stiff and glared at him "You're a little too literal sometimes, y'know nii-san"

Rai slipped closer to Taeger, who wasn't aware and grabbed the dagger, but Taeger was onto him immediately "Raimundo...remove your hand from my butt before I neuter you" his blade was out and at Rai's throat in a flash "Don't test your luck or my mood today, thief...from the moment I saw you, I knew you were a no good thief"

"Hey, I'm a good thief...a pretty damn great thief" Rai argued as the blade was pressed closer to his throat and Taeger smiled evilly "I know and I'll neuter you if you even think to be stupid enough to test your skills with me, Robin Hood so back off"

 **Just then, in a flash of white light a portal opened as Kami and Bane, in his wolf form, walked out looking beaten and bruised. Both falling unconscious once stepping out as Bane reverted to human.**

"Kurosaki..." Taeger ran up to the two as Raimundo, Scar and Tsujin caught him and Taeger caught Wolf-Bane "Where's Bane?" Rai asked

"Right...here" the Wolf said as Taeger almost dropped him at that, as he reverted to human and Scar sensed that both their powers have grown and Bane was very close to surpassing his master.

Kakuzu remained away from them as he looked at Bane, now taking him seriously about wanting to grow strong enough to fight Yang as he even wants to fight the kid himself as he turned to leave but saw Bane give him a thumbs up, even though he was already unconscious "Bane Asakura, huh?" He said "I want to fight you one day at the peak of your abilities, the son of both the Uzushio (Yang's Clan) and Asakura Clans is going to be one contend with, I admit...but at least you never fail to surprise even me" he took off "...we'll meet again" he disappeared before the others noticed to make sure Yang's trail doesn't go cold on him.

* * *

 **They returned to Kami's home with the Ghoul Lord and his apprentice and they both recovered, Bane was just waking up as he felt his body feeling different due to how much stronger he's gotten and could tell that Kami was stronger as well as his powers were harder to suppress enough that he didn't give the other Ghouls a reason to think he was angry when he was happier than he ever been in a while.**

"Wake up,already..." Raimundo groaned as he conked Bane on the head lightly as he held his head and replied "Stop that please..."

"Stop pestering him, Raimundo" Kami said lightly as he looked at Bane "Get up, kid...you've earned yourself a break"

"It's odd, kid" Taeger said "but how did you manage to gain the respect of that impossible man...Kakuzu?"

"I think he respects power and strength...I dunno" Bane said "but I seem to have enough of that to give away, I guess"

"That seems logical enough" Scar said as Tsujin smiled and nodded "I wouldn't put anything past that guy...nothing about him even surprises me anymore"

"Well well, so that was you..." No one noticed that Tazaki had entered the room "I think I have a friend that can help you control that wolf completely and this was sent for you..." He handed Bane a bag, it was apparently an invitation to a summit...a summit held by the Asakura Clan with condolences for his lost mother several months from now with a gift as Bane said "My mother's clan?"

"Elemental gems..." Tazaki took the bag with Bane's permission "looks like you've got a treasure trove here...some of these are so rare that I've never seen them and will make superb weapons, if you know how to fight with one"

* * *

 **Kami left the room, where he met Gin Tsubaki...**

"Oy, Ghoul Lord...do you know what a pain in the ass it is to find you in times of importance?" Gin said, clearly unused to cursing as Kami turned to him "Deliver your message and get lost, half-demon"

"Don't kill the messenger, just take the message" Gin said "though I'm certain your old apprentice was aware that I was onto them or his new master was"

Kami scanned the message "There's something you're not telling me..." He said as Gin flinched "No, it's nothing for you to worry about right now..."

Kami looked at him with slight distrust, but shrugged it off as Gin said "That kid though...he's one of the strongest Ghouls I've met and most unfortunate, losing his mother like that" he said as he teleported away.

* * *

 **Back in the forest, Zaheer had survived barely and made his way out of the sewers knowing that J'onn had set him up and Yang would kill him...**

Zaheer looked as Scar and company left the forest and Kakuzu persued Yang...he needed to win back Kami's trust without getting killed, but he could barely think straight due to the new powers of Kami and Bane _'I need to regain Kami's trust and give him what info I have...now that Yang is hunting me and J'onn has betrayed me like I thought he always would...'_ He looked in the direction Kakuzu went then to Bane _'...Now, just how do I go about doing that?'_ Kami wasn't keen of traitors and he really preferred to keep his distance from the man for now as he passed out once they were gone.

* * *

 **A/N - Zaheer's back and wishes to give Kami all the information he has on J'onn without being killed in the process, but that is hard with Yang after him and that Kami might most likely kill him the second he shows his face...how will Bane deal with seeing his/Tsume's Clan for the first time, the other Ghoul Lords at the same meeting and the man himself on the way, Azazel? Will he be willing to help or have mercy on Zaheer? R &R and find out!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Be Very Afraid of the Dark**

 **Chapter 6**

 **I was thinking of another member of the Kurosaki Clan appearing with a relation to Kami, although his father is still going to make an appearence under the control of The One but not too friendly to J'onn...he's one of the human members of the Kurosaki Clan but stole Kami's blood in the past to inject into his own veins...making him more than Kami's equal with his newly acquired but natural affinity for one of the Clan's Fire Magic, like Amaterasu. He also hired two assassins with a grudge against Ghouls to kill Kami.**

Ryouga Kurosaki, sometimes known as Akama stood in a large natural hidden cave, his body convolsing after injecting the last of Kami's blood into his veins "Kami Kurosaki is no longer worthy of being heir to the Kurosaki Clan..." he resisted the urge to scream as the foreign Ghoul blood was literally burning his insides...the clan was known for physical and mental indurance, even in the humans as the pain stopped and he laughed to himself as the pain evaporated and he tested his new firepower as the white flame, Izanagi swirled beautifully.

 **Suddenly two men came into the cave from the thunderstorm outside, soaked to the bone from the torrents of rain thay suddenly appeared. They were former members turned traitors from the GEC and one of them has a dangerous hatred for Ghouls and saw the world as a better place without them...they were also experimented upon by the GEC, making them almost the same as the Ghouls and full-fledged Ghouls if they give in to the effects of oncoming canabalism.**

Nicolas 'Nic' Brown was a man of 6'3" in height, he had short white hair and an armless black shirt and a blue jacket over it with a pair of black cargo pants with a lot of pocket, many of which weren't there when he got them. His eyes were black and always cold...rarely blinking and he usually had only three emotion...a sadistically crooked smile, a serious frown or a glare that a Ghoul once went far enough to describe as possessed or demonic as his black bladed Katana, Kusenagi was strapped to his back and despite being deaf, he was a master at lip reading and speaks from time to time only when he's pissed, feeling like it or to his partner/childhood friend/rival Richie Yoshimura, heir to the rich Yoshimura family who lost his right eye as a child from his abusive father who ripped it out and ate it which made him deathly aftaid of anyone touching his face and more dangerous which was still a far cry from Nic, he has two pistols and marksman accuracy but less than Nic's, blonde hair in a ponytail, cold blue eyes looking down as his ever present cigarette soaked by the rain. He is very kind in comparison to his partner who sees it as weak and wishes to find proof of if his family has Ghouls among them. He and Nic also want to kill each other as when he lost his eye, Nic snapped and spared no one in the mansion...oblitherating over two hundred occupants before sparing the only butler that was kind to him and saving Richie's cruel father for last, beheading and dismembering him as Richie watched

 _[You need to stop smoking those stuff]_ Nic signed to Yoshimura who snarled "Don't hold your breathe...my other pack wasn't wet"

Nic's eyes were half lidded as if lacking sleep but he has slept perfectly fine as he rolled his eyes and turned to Ryouga "Who you want dead?" His voice was raspy but more understandable as if he wasn't deaf

Ryouga handed him a folded picture and half their payment, the other half they expected once their target is dead "I expect this to be done swiftly...kill whoever stands in your way and failure is unacceptable" they know very little of their clients, but information like that they can acquire very easily with how badly Nic despises this man...like all of the Kurosaki Clan, he's cold and merciless but members of the Clan tend not to show any sadistic traits unprovoked and actually prefer showing the better sides of their personalities

 _'Watashitachi ga shippai shinai koto ga yoi koto... Okane o junbi shite, mokuhyō no atama wa anata no monodesu'_ (Good thing we don't fail...have your money ready and the target's head is yours) Nic decided he needed to warn this man as they were professional assassins but still professionals at the end of the day nonetheless as Yoshimura added "...and your head isn't Nic's" as the two left and the rain stopped, Nic looked back at him and waved with his signiture creepypasta smile, with the hope that he could kill him. He'd tried to threaten Nic and it backfired earlier, causing Nic to have it in for him. Also no one insults Nicolas and expects to get away or him to have any semblance of his nonexistent mercy

"This should be fun..." Nic looked at Richie who had a look that he was curious about these particular Ghouls replied with a distracted "Indeed..."

* * *

 **Once outside, the two fist bumped then vanished from sight without being seen again...back in the city, Kami had a plan to continue his training with Bane but cannot avoid certain duties with becoming Ghoul Lord that he hates.**

"Bane...meet me outside" Bane heard Kami's voice as he had accompanied Kami to the Library to learn any beforehand knowledge he'd need on the Asakura Clan but hadn't noticed Kami had given him the slip and left him there "Coming, Master" he stopped reading something very interesting and went outside, forgetting about a Ghoul's heightened hearing as Kami wasn't out there nor was he speaking to him telepathically.

"We're in the forest..." Kami instructed sensing his apprentice's confusion as he entered the forest and found Scar and Raimundo waiting. No Kami in sight.

Scar looked at him over his shoulder without facing him, as his hands were in his pockets as Raimundo was seated against a large tree relaxing while he still can...something he couldn't do if Kami was actually there

"Is Master here?" Bane said as Scar raised an eyebrow "Apparently not..."

"You should've looked harder..." Kami said as he appeared behind Bane and put his hand on his head, not startling him a bit "I wasn't even trying to hide and you could've easily sensed my magic"

"Why are we here, Lord Kami?" Scar asks, he seemed to intimidate Bane as Kami noticed and replied "You are to supervise Bane's training as he fights Raimundo" he used Amaterasu to scratch the top of the tree, right above Rai's head as he opened his eyes to make sure his hair wasn't singed as Scar nods "I think I can do that...am I to train him as well?" He looked at Kami before narrowing his eyes on Bane

"If you wish to, I won't stop you" Kami chuckled as Bane asked "So where are you off to, Master?"

"I have to make preparations for when the other Ghoul Lords get here...and I have the oddest feeling that half-demon didn't tell me something" he mused "I can't train you for several more weeks...fight Raimundo"

Bane held back the urge to laugh and oddly, so did Ryuken who kept his composure at Bane's reaction "You're not serious, are you?"

"Oh, I'm very serious...don't you dare leave this forest" Kami glared at Bane "...don't laugh and never make the mistake of underestimating an opponent...I'm off, have fun" Kami left as Bane attempted to follow him but Scar lited him off the ground with one hand, he was intimidated very easily by Scar...something he was well aware of as he stared at him coldly.

Scar smiled "The only way you're leaving this forest is over my dead body...let's see what the son of Yang is really capable of" he turned to Raimundo with authority "Slacker-sama, get. Up. Now" he warned knowing he was listenting but not moving.

Scar dropped Bane and walked over to his friend with a clenched fist "Teme...get up means GET UP!" He punched the tree and levelled at least 20 other trees or more behind him with extreme ease as Rai looked up at him sheepishly "You're making the kid think you're a drill instructor, baka..." he said as Scar dragged him to his feet replying "and you're the laziest Ghoul alive, bakemono...I'll tell my sister all about this"

"Hey, that's a low blow" Rai whimpered "I don't plan to marry her, y'know" as Scar narrowed his eyes "Unless you want me to rearrange your insides, you won't date, marry or worse, rub off on my sister and Yamamoto as well as that crude Kakuzu would be your competition. Seriously, she isn't the only female in this city"

"Fine..." he stepped over to Bane and stretched his muscles, Bane simply raised his eyebrow at that, only seeing Scar as a possible threat right now "Let's teach you some respect..." he took a fighting stance as Scar stepped back "You get the first go then..."

 _'This should be amusing'_ Scar thought as he said "and stop take each other so lightly"

 **Both their eyes fill with sharp determination as Raimundo's sclera turned black and fierce.**

Bane was the first to attack as he swung a burst of Wind but Raimundo raised a rock wall to defend himself as another attack sliced it in two as Rai ducked.

 _'Watashi o kashō hyōka shinaide kudasai...'_ (Don't underestimate me...) Raimundo snarled as he somersaulted into the air, kicking the upper half at Bane before it hit the ground, hitting him in the head and making him reel a bit.

Bane froze, the blackness slowly creeping into his pupilless eyes and once it did, his pupils returned for a second as a red ring as Raimundo came closer, hoping he hadn't gone too far as Bane looked at him with a different personality "Did I overdo it again...and split his skull open?"

"Of course not" Bane said "...but you're getting real good at pissing me off" he seemed to notice that he was terrible at long ranged Wind attacks, which will later be one of his specialties, so he dashed at Raimundo with his superior speed and began spinning at very high speed.

"Out of the way!" Scar said, foreseeing the danger of if they were caught in this attack's crosshairs as Rai jumped clear after him as a light even emanated from the rotating winds leaving barely any sign that a forest was even there _'Sugoi... Watashi wa koko kodomo ga suki ni nari hajimete imasu'_ (Amazing...I'm starting to like this kid)

 _'Watashi wa ima, anata ka, kono kawai ko ga sukide wanai'_ (I'm not liking you or this brat right now) Raimundo didn't want to praise both Bane's destructive power and the level of skill he has at the subconscious level alone just yet as Scar had an idea "How about we fight with every man for himself...we can get more out of this training that way until Kami gets back"

Rai raised and eyebrow at the fighting master that was second only to Kami himself "You just want to fight him, don't you...?" To which Scar gave a nod "Maybe...but I doubt this is all he's capable of by a long shot as well."

"Two on one seems unfair" Raimundo frowned as Scar growled _'Oi, 'jibun no tame no subete no hito' no dono bubun o rikai dekimasendeshita ka?'_ (Oy, what part of 'every man for himself' did you not understand?)

"Does someone need a hug?" Rai tried to hug Scar only to be thrown on the ground as Scar scolded "Not unless someone fancies my foot down their throats..."

"Fine...I'll play by your rules, for now" Rai snarled as he got to his feet "but I can't say anything for Tarantula and Golem" he slammed his hand on the ground, summoning Tarantula...a large puppet made of an unknown substance that seems to mimic wood very well and metal with eight arms that were extendable, a round body that opened up to trap opponents in a multidirectional cyclone of blades that will literally make mince meat out of any foolhardy prey and eyes looking in all directions. It looked more human-like than spider-like and had a hidden metalllic tail supposedly made of Adamantium.

Rocks pulled themselves together to creat his Golem that moved of it's own free will and was not an opponent to be messed with.

"That looks like no Spider..." Scar said as he always did when this was summoned in his presence as Rai pouted "Shut it, you...I built this when I was a kid and didn't even know what a spider even looked like...cut me a little slack here!"

Scar laughed, something that Bane thought was a rarity for someone like him "Whatever..." he readied himself to fight Bane much more seriously when Rai attacked Bane for him, as he seems to claim

"Ah..." Scar sighed his head in his hand as he shook his head "I think you misunderstand the 'every man for himself' rule"

Scar jumped over Raimundo's shoulder with a kick that missed Bane but almost buried Raimundo who turns on him with his Tarantula, controlled by an energy based spell taught to him by Kami to connect to and control his puppet by the movement of his fingers and a blue thread like evergy connecting it to his five fingertips (like chakra strings in Naruto used by Kankuro etc) to attack Scar but he defended against every attack while avoiding the hidden blades, coated with a currently non-lethal dose of poisons...which cannot kill a Ghoul but is still rather painful causing Scar to mainly be on defence than offence, this gives him ample time to think...something one shouldn't do while fighting Scar.

Bane was about to attack Raimundo from behind while he heard an eerie moan, the Golem charged at him and knocked him hard against a tree. It then charged again as Bane got out of the way this time to have it knock into a tree as he used a blade of wind to behead it only for the headless body to keep coming.

Bane turned to see Scar looking at him, his golden eyes studying him as his body seemed to be on autopilot against Tarantula.

"I sense there's something different about you..." Scar's eyes slowly looked down to Bane's shadow then back to his eyes "You fascinate me as you're not like ordinary Ghouls and have endless room to grow as Kami's apprentice" as Bane said "Don't take me lightly"

Scar then flipped over Tarantula then attacked Rai from behind but Tarantula's arms protected him as Raimundo smirked "Is that the best you've got, Scar-san?"

"I said not to take me lightly and that goes for you too" Scar said as he burned a hole in Tarantula "You have very good concentration, Bane...use them cuz you're next"

Scar disappeared and reappeared before Bane with blinding speed

Scar was about to punch Bane with a shadow spiked up and almost got him as he flipped away "Interesting...we should do this more often" Scar said as a golden aura burned around him and a red one around Bane "Show me what you've got!"

Bane quickly sent shadows after him but proved unable to catch him before he transformed into his wolf form, making Scar all the more interested in fighting him.

* * *

 **Taeger was in a tree watching them with equal interest in what he was capable of...**

Taeger watched as his former student fought Kami's apprentice and showed no interest in letting them know he was there right now "the Asakura Clan and the Ghoul Lords in one place all for this kid...interesting" Taeger looked closer "He has great instincts, although if he's a killer is yet to be seen...I plan to see that when he starts getting hungry" he chuckled

* * *

 **...with Kami, he'd begun preparations for his meeting with the other Ghoul Lords...arrival varied to the preference of each Ghoul Lord but was reasonable. This also marks their first meeting in Japan.**

Kami was never a nervous person, but the Ghoul Lords paying him a visit for something he know he could never live down if something went wrong was what had him on edge as he entered the largest of the main halls where he plans to keep a banquet but many Ghouls were here cleaning it.

"This place looks like hell" Kami said with visible disgust as he pondered "How long will it take us to fix this mess?"

"Us, Lord Kurosaki?" A voice behind him said as he turned to see Yamamoto, someone he knew disliked him as he repeated "Yes, us...You don't expect me to sit idly by and _watch_ you do all the work, do you?"

Yamamoto shook his head and smiled "Well, you're the Ghoul Lord...so, yes" he rolled his eyes as Kami drew his brows together "You're a loner, aren't you...yet you're here like everyone else though I'd warn against trying to pick a fight with me right now"

"Your apprentice...I'm sure you've figured out by now he's not...normal" Yamamoto said as Kami shrugged "Even by our definition of normal, yes but no one is...not even the humans that murder our kind for their silly justice" he explained "they even risk becoming just like us in the process...by killing us and stealing what makes Ghouls what they are to some extent...our Kagune"

"So I've been hearing...and I've even heard of a human with something personal against you" Yamamoto said causing Kami to stop and look at him "a member of these so-called 'Ghoul Hunters' that may have had an unfortunate run in with you after your master...disappeared"

"How do you know all this, datte?" Kami didn't feel right thinking this Ghoul spent all this time around humans that his own kind and hasn't killed someone or got himself killed or worse captured yet "You look familiar too...I've seen you with Scar before then stopped seeing you altogether" Kami wasn't distrustful but knew the man's face well.

"Ah, where are my manners...Master Salazar would kill me if he were here" Yamamoto laughed extending his hand to shake Kami's "I'm Yamamoto Hatake...and yes, we've met before when you became Ghoul Lord and I happened to sake your apprentice from an idiot..."

"So you're the Binge Eater Bane's been so eager to see" Kami squeezed his hand slightly although cracking his knuckles in the process "I should reward you..."

Yamamoto turned away and shook his head "I don't deserve that...I see a lot of myself in him and he's very, very powerful and lucky to have a master that can bring out that potential like you"

"You should stay on this side of the city if you wish" Kami said "That would make Bane happy as he seems to think he owes you a debt"

"I thank you...but I don't think I deserve it, I've been watching that man for some time and something always felt wrong about him claiming that area as his territory" Yamamoto said with a straight face "He only believes in overthrowing you and tried to persuade his fellow Hunters to turn on you to...someone else."

Kami was silent at this...he wasn't stunned, surprised now was he even angry at this but the fact that he wanted to either make sure this man never sees the light of day again or that he wants to kill him himself wasn't easily hidden as Yamamoto easily saw it in his blue eyes

* * *

 **Outside the door, Zaheer had finally finished his trip half'way across the city...he was determined to persuade Kami not to kill him or do anything much worse, like let Yang have him as he held information on J'onn that Kami wants and only he has.**

Zaheer was about to open the door, he could hear Bane's protector and Kami inside along with other Ghouls who were more than willing to tear him limb from limb as he used the last of his energy to push the door open, but he was weaker than he'd thought and immediately fell unconscious, but alive on the ground.

Kami recognised him as Bane's attacker, but couldn't figure out why he was here "Well, look what we have here...a full blown traitor" tears formed in Zaheer's eyes upon Kami's statement but none of the at least 60 Ghouls in the building moved an inch.

Yamamoto shared a similar distaste to the man he was, and most likely still is, determined to kill as he growled "Traitor..."

"I think it's about time for me to retrieve Bane..." Yamamoto watched Kami stand up and tossed Zaheer over his shoulder before snarling "Where are you going with him?"

Kami looked at him over his shoulder with a silencing glare "He has some answers that I'd prefer to take by tremendous force...then he's yours to do with as you see fit and do you care to join us on a hunt" Yamamoto nodded as Kami left.

"Not with him..." Yamamoto said with dangerous hostility, pointing at Zaheer as Kami heard but simply left.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Nic and Richie are on a train to Tokyo and almost to their destination...**

"Nic-kun..." Richie said as Nic simply kept his lazy stare out the window with a "Hn..."

"Open it...I wish to see this Ghoul's face" Richie said as Nic handed him the package on his lap to help himself as he took it and opened it to see some minor info and a rather recent set of picture of the current Ghoul Lord and their target, Kami Kurosaki "A Ghoul Lord, huh?" He smirked "Interesting"

Suddenly a woman decides that she wants a seat, the closest being next to Nic and while the killing spree would start sooner or later, he wouldn't advise is worst enemy to get near Nic for many reasons... he's unstable and had a darkness within him long before they got tied up with the GEC as he tends to lash out at humans and Ghouls alike and it was a miracle he even got on the train in a civil manner

"Oh, I'll just sit here, darling" the young woman seemed to be watching him in particular and wondered why the entire car of the train was deathly afraid to even look at him, let alone sit beside him as he warned "Seat taken..." as he stuck his pinky in his ear with the subtle warning _'Ā, karera ga modotte kitara watashi wa idō shimasu'_ (Oh, I'll move once they get back) she said thinking Nic was sick but not saying anything

She was so busy, she didn't see a kick coming to her face but caught her arm instead _'Zaseki wa tora reta... Watashi wa sore o nido iu koto wa arimasen'_ (The seat's taken...don't make me say it twice) he smiled darkly as he pulled his sword out slowly and she dashed past Richie.

Nic was far from through with this one though and would've gone after her, his mood swings giving him a desire to kill akin to Ghouls until Richie glared at him "Nicolas, sit the fuck back down...be nice to the humans" He heard gasps, everyone here knew of the very reality of the Ghouls and that the GEC could barely put a crack in a good number of them if they tried...some even lost loved ones who were either killed by Ghouls or learned that they themselves were Ghouls and left for their own safety.

Nic looked at him long and hard for a second, then sheathed his sword and plopped back in his seat with his arms crossed "Didn't hit her that hard..." he smiled at the occupants in the seat ahead of him and knew they were looking at him through the space in the seats and licked his lips with a hunger in his eyes

There was security on the train, but they were far to scared of Nic to do anything and found the assassin to be too quiet. His eyes turned on any security rhat even flinched in his presence

"You dumbass, she was sexy!" Richie pounded his fist on Nic's head, a displinary act that he hated with a passion as he glared at him holding his head then punched him - full strength - in the groin, knocking him off the ground and on his crying and sweating...he might not be able to pee for days as tears filled his eyes as Nic simply pet his head. Thank God they both inherited the accelerated healing factor of the Ghouls as well.

* * *

 **A/N - Nic and Richie, two assassins with a grudge against the GEC and Ghouls have their eyes on Kami Kurosaki and are more than a match for him, not knowing the man who hired them is Kami's own brother who should be all but dead as Azazel is on his way without Kami knowing and Zaheer hopes to tell Kami all he knows before being killed, something he readily deserves as far as Yamamoto and Kami are concerned. R &R!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Be Very Afraid of the Dark**

 **Chapter 7**

 **Scar, Raimundo and Scar decide to take a rest although Scar was more bored than anything and Raimundo had too much energy.**

"How is he so energetic..." Bane wondered to himself as Scar tapped his shoulder and handed him a bottle of water, which since it has no taste is one of the things both Ghouls and humans can enjoy "Let him be...he seems to think you've never seen an actual puppet before"

"I've only seen some once, but nothing remotely close to that size" Bane looked at Scar "I have a question...do you know what my mother's clan is like?"

"No...I'm not an expert but I've heard that they're very polite" Scar said "but we'll find out soon enough...I've also noticed your hostility upon any mention of your mother, she must have been a kind woman, unafraid to fight for what she wanted...what was her name?"

"Tsume Asakura...and I'm not that hostile" Bane said as Scar flicked him on the forehead "...you're just proving my point"

"What about your family?" Bane said as Scar said without fear of what Bane would think "I was born a Ghoul...one day, a weird group of human came to our home...murdered the whole family as I watched"

Scar created a wisp of flame "that night I learned exactly why I couldn't eat food but was treated like any other human when I lost it and killed all the humans...I was younger than you but far stronger and faster than the strongest human adult"

"After that, what happened?" Raimundo asked as Scar continued "I've tried repeatedly to kill myself...survived every time and shyed away from others as I felt like I was cursed."

"What about your sister?" Raimundo asked "Was she a blood-born Ghoul too?"

"No...she was a human, Rai" Scar said "but she had knowledge on Ghouls and wanted me to make her one...I couldn't even do it, so she monitered that a large Ghoul was in the area that no one could find and decided to go after him against my warnings not to...it was horrible, _he_ was huge and set a trap for the humans that we walked right into" Scar grimaced "broad daylight, the official worse day of my life as he saw us together and knew I wasn't human but she was by instincts I lacked"

"Why do I feel like I know this guy?" Rai said as Scar snarled "because you both do, Alphonse Taeger took my sister's humanity and attacked me if I tried to stop him from all but biting her head off and I mean that more literally than you know" he said as Bane and Rai had slack jaws and Rai connects the dots "...and that's why you hate him so much"

Scar remained still but it was now obvious that anyone would despise Taeger if put in such a situation, Bane already didn't like him.

"That isn't what really maddens me about him, he left her for dead and took me!" Scar clenched his fist before losing his pointless anger to some extent "She doesn't even remember us going into the forest together as most times a Ghoul doesn't remember who bit him or her, family being the only exception, as he kept me and trained me with knowledge that I wanted him dead with the threat that he knew where my sister was and would finish what he started if I left his crusty old home and went to find her...I eventually found the courage to leave, he never slept and tried to kill me demanding that I become his student and keep the dream that my sister was still alive, I'd never see her again if I wasn't strong enough to murder the man the turned her into a Ghoul"

"So, you were forced to become his student..." Bane said as Scar snarled "In order to learn his pattern...both to escape and find my sister, but to give it to the humans hunting him after I learned why he was being hunted"

"He still trained you knowing this?" Rai asked, thinking Taeger was a fool "Is he, by any chance, a special kind of idiot or something"

"His pattern frequently changed the moment he knew I was onto him...he also locked me in his basement where he tortured said humans...namely why they were after him"

"He tortured you?!" Bane snapped as Scar said "Never but he did heinous things to young women and men and forced me to watch if I didn't want the same treatment...wanting to know about the humans after him until this one man...he was the strongest of them, one of the GEC men that gave him everything with the promise of a mercy killing...Taeger didn't kill him as he was my age and saw me, something the others didn't get until it was too late."

"He let me fight for my freedom...knowing that I was going to try to kill or outsmart him" Scar said "I finally escaped and never saw him again, ran into Kami some miles away, literally, and was brought back here and reunited with my sister who he found after she was left for dead. Scared to death and even more determined to kill myself after Taeger was never found to be punished severely...Kami also challenged me that if I can become a better fighter that him, he would allow me to have my vengeance but I'm not to otherwise lay a finger on Taeger unless he touches my sister again"

"What about your scars...can I touch them?" Bane asks as Scar unbuttoned his shirt to show the scar across his chest, far larger in comparison to the one on his forehead and nodded to Bane, who touched the skin that was burned to a different color from the rest of his body "I sparred with Kami once when I really saw for the first time what he was capable of, feeling he deserved to be Ghoul Lord and he knew that I've tried to kill myself but not that I was going to use him to do so..."

"The burn on my forehead was my punishment for testing Lord Kami's restraints...but the rest, I don't want to remember" Scar looked sad "He returned for me...threatened to add my sister to his other victims which now included other Ghouls unless I return to him, I refused and he made my stomach turn with his actions..."

"By this time, my brother and I were well acquainted with Ryuken, who gave himself the name Scar" Raimundo looked as down as Scar did "I still can't forget what Taeger did and it pissed Kami off that even I didn't dare make the mistake of angering him, I avoided him for a whole two months actually"

"What did he do?" Bane asked as a shadow came over him, he sensed nothing but felt like he was being watched as Taeger appeared and Bane glared at him.

"Wouldn't you love to know...your so-called master hunted me down personally and tried to forcibly throw me into the Crypt for no reason whatsoever" Taeger smiled darkly "something about a law that if no one was to attack the bloodborn human child of a human and Ghoul other than the parent...I never go by that and attack whoever crosses my path as I please"

"Right, and killing an entire town of people for no reason justifies what?" Scar said as Taeger laughed "A Binge Eater needs to eat...I don't fancy others dictating what I can and can't eat...how's your sister, by the way?"

That was the last straw for Scar as well as Bane as Scar snarled "I thought I told you if you even thought about my sister, I'd-" he was cut off by Bane attacking Taeger

Bane came at the old Ghoul with a punch but he simply moved and, using Bane's own momentum kicked him across the chest into a tree.

 _'Anata ga gūrudeatte mo, watashi wa gūru to notatakai o erabu koto wa arimasen'_ (I wouldn't pick a fight with a Ghoul like that even if you are Ghoul too) Taeger said walking over to Bane and reached for him while dodging rock thrown at him by Raimundo without looking _'Wareware wa subete no monsutā ga ningen kara, soshite aruteido wa ningen ni yotte tsukura rete irunode'_ (We kill anything we find as a personal threat, as if engineered to do so because we all monsters made both from humans and to some extent by them)

A rock hit Taeger in the back of the head as he turn to glare at the two "As for the rest of you backwater family, they're alive...I decimated and singlehandedly slaughtered the whole town and found no one that looked remotely like you alive" he turned back to Bane and was about to punch him when a black flame, a tiny one, burst to life before Bane's face and his fist.

Taeger growled as he looked to his right to see Kami's boot inches from his face as he activated his Kakugan and using his speed which far outmatches the Ghoul Lord's to dodge by a hair as he stepped away from Bane.

"Kami..." Taeger lòoked down at the man in a bit of surprise as Kami looked at him dangerously "Not another step closer...Bane, come"

Taeger grabbed Bane, only to see that he'd grabbed Kami instead and Bane was now where Kami was standing with Scar, Raimundo and much to his horror and surprise, a very badly beaten but now conscious Zaheer who looked at Bane with one eye and no malice whatsoever "What are you doing with this man, Master?"

"You'll see..." Kami smiled at the three confused Ghouls as he took a step closer to Taeger and spoke calmly with a dangerous edge in his tone "Alphonse...what the hell did you think you were going to do to my apprentice?" Kami smiled but all Taeger seemed to see were his white teeth and those dangerous blue eyes

"That's the Kami I've been eager to see since I got here..." Taeger smiled "I knew this would make you fight me and that was what I wanted"

"You'll soon wish you hadn't" Kami wastes no time sending a black fire blast at him but he jumped over it replying with a vicious smile "I expected you to use your clear magical advantage over me off the bat, but don't think I'll allow those flames to even graze me"

"Smart...he's compensating for both Taeger's strength of being the faster of the two of them and his disadvantage of no magic" Scar said as Bane went to help but Zaheer grabbed him and Rai said seriously "Scar could come like a culmination of both of them...Kami's fire and Taeger's unparalleled martial arts skills, it's that simple" Rai smiled as he put an arm around Scar's shoulder, Scar was too busy watching the two to care for them or the man at his feet "Lord Kami's skill have never failed to surprise me"

"They're two vastly different powerhouses..." Raimundo smirked "Ghouls as powerful as them are rare"

"Even though Master is the weakest of the Ghoul Lords?" Bane said as three pairs of eyes fell on him "He said so himself, but the weakest always have the most potential...like me" he looked at his hands

"Stop...he didn't mean to call you weak" Raimundo said to Scar who looked ready to smack him as Bane smiled "I haven't seen what you're fully capable of to say you're weak"

 **Kami decides he's done playing as he floats into the air, what happens next surprises not only Scar, Raimundo, Bane and Taeger who could see, but the entire city as he blocked out the sun with a large black fireball that was more than big enough to wipe the city and everything in it out of existence in one blow. Taeger was testing how far Kami would go to protect Asakura and now he saw and for the first time was amazed.**

 _'Watashi wa watashi no te o tsuyoku suru koto ni tsuite keikoku shite imasu, masutā tēgā...'_ (I'm done warning you about forcing my hand, Master Taeger...) Kami warned as everyone was surprised except Taeger and Scar as this wasn't the first time Taeger had forced Kami's hand and he was hoping this would be the last as Taeger looked at Bane but was far from surrendering as he said, calm and a bit satisfied "Fine...I won't harm the boy"

Bane was curious how long that would last but choose not to ask Taeger. Kami frowned and growled "Why don't I believe you then?"

"That's your problem, not mine" Taeger growled right back as he caught Bane looking away from him and said "My days as a killer has more or less gone now, but yours have yet to begin" he said knowingly.

Kami then landed as the fireball that was held up by only one finger shrank and burned away as Kami stood before Taeger who narrowed his eyes _'Kore ga owatta to omounara, anata wa kanashī ka na ka machigatte imasu'_ (If you think this is over, you're sadly mistaken)

 _'Watashi no machi kara deru no wa īkedo... Watashi no jihi to nintai ga dorekurai tsudzuku ka wa fumeida'_ (Get out of my city while the gettin's good...I'm uncertain how long my mercy and patience will last this time) Kami walked past him towards Bane _'Watashi ga anata o korosanai jikai inoru'_ (Pray the next time that I don't kill you)

 _'Anata wa watashi o korosu koto ga dekiru to omoimasu ka?'_ (What makes you think you can kill me?) Taeger said "If you really didn't need me that badly, you would've done it already without a second thought...if you _could_ , that is"

* * *

 **Kami decides to go back to the city, once there he decides to have Zaheer immediately in chain, just in case he was lying about betraying J'onn, to reveal what he knows.**

Zaheer looked down at the chains on his wrists, Kami'd put some sort of spell on them so he can't use magic or break himself free as he looked at Bane "This isn't necessary, kid"

"Yes, it is..." Bane said with finality "you tried to kill me and expect me to trust you?"

He immediately looked around the room, Kami's office, for the Ghoul Lord...he didn't feel right with his haphazard temper and current mood not knowing if he were here.

The magic in his chair was also uncomfortable as it forbade him from leaving the cruel wooden seat as the door opened an Scar, a rather murderous looking Tsujin, a way too calm (for Zaheer's tastes) Kami and Yamamoto who paused upon seeing him

"You..." Yamamoto said as Zaheer remained silent with a stone serious stare as Kami cleared his throat "You said you knew about J'onn and where he might be...start talking"

"A lonely pub in the Dark Forest...at least that where we often met" Zaheer said as a edge came into his tone "that's where he last was with your jackass student"

"Father?" Bane said as Zaheer looked at him "yes, your jackass _father_ , who was hunting me down after the last time we met, thinking I killed you"

"So he does care..." Bane looked down as Zaheer bursts his bubble "yeah...keep thinking that because he was only mad that he couldn't do the deed himself"

"I already have someone dealing with Yang" Kami slammed his palms on the table "Now, where is my master?!"

"Wasn't I clear that I didn't know that?" Zaheer sighed in ever growing annoyance "look, I can take you to where he can be found but if he's not there then that's all I know on where he is besides a grave somewhere with his name on it that's missing a body"

"You can just torture his lips loose, Lord Kami..." Tsujin said as Yamamoto said "I'm opposed to this sort of thing, but I think I can make an exception..."

"I say we hold him to his word...then see where that leads us" Scar said, he didn't trust Zaheer but he did a hell of a lot more than Yang.

 **Kami nodded and snapped his fingers, making Zaheer free to move in the chair as they got ready to go.**

"You will watch over him until then, Bane" Kami said as Bane glared at Zaheer, about to say no before Kami beat him to it "Don't even think about saying no and you're free to show him you other side if he has other plans" he turned a menacing eye on Zaheer.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Nic and Richie had gotten off the train and were ready to search for the Ghouls...but Nic needed to keep a promise first, seeing as he's the more bloodthirsty of the two of them...**

Nic was usually a perfectionist when it came to his weapons and one shouldn't touch them...or him for that matter, if the valued life and limb as he checked and shaped all his small blades he made by using Richie's money to order tons of nail clippers...he removed the nail files and melted down the rest, using everything as a knife and the sharpened nail files as sharpened kunai that he snarled to a razor and can throw at speeds that render them invisible.

Nic had control over his bloodlust, more than most people think but not in the presence of Ghouls and Richie knew this all too well, he'd be dead by now if he didn't as he grabbed his shoulder from behind and nearly lost his other eye.

 _'Watashi wa anata ni watashi no yakusoku o suru hitsuyō ga arimasu'_ (I need you to make a promise for me) Richie said before he was stabbed in the face as Nov went back to what he was doing replying only "What?"

"I think we should be going about this a bit differently and this may be hard to ask given what you've been through, but try to desist from killing Ghouls for now" he explained as Nic stopped and looked at him, his deafness didn't make him helpless or stupid "What?!"

He anticipated that Nic would be pissed as he raised his hands and missed losing his fingers or being stabbed in the face by a hair "We need to know what we're dealing with here first...or do you fancy going in there and getting ripped limb from limb before you can even see the target?" He reasoned, though he highly doubt even that would stop Nic "I mean there are at least 7000 Ghouls in that place or even more...half of which could be children or ready to tear us a new one if we try to get near this 'Ghoul Lord' guy!"

"No!" Nic snapped "they get in my way, they die..." as he took to the trees, leaving Richie there

Nic sighed as he fished his pocket for a cigarette and lit it _'This is going to be harder than I thought...stubborn, hell-bent son of a bitch'_ he didn't want to answer to their employer if they failed but he didn't want to empty his gun in Nic's face at point blank either...at least not yet, as he understood the murderous man better than most and his reason for why he despises Ghouls so much as Richie's own father was the first Ghoul he killed and he came as Nic's surrogate father after his own father abandoned him, killed his mother when he was too young to remember and nearly killed him as well...he also felt that the GEC's experiments on Nov brought something out of him, something dark and out of his control. He followed after Nic and hated that they didn't know what they were getting into.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, in a part of the Binge Eater's side of the city walked a tall man, he looked menacing enough that the local Binge Eaters dared not even get near him...his magic being higher than Kami's and unsupressed may attribute to that as well as he simply walked around the city. He considered himself unimportant in his master's plan and J'onn a fool if he thought anything was going according to any personal plan he could ever devise despite having this warrior's respect as a smart man, but far from a genius.**

The man walked through the streets as he thought _'J'onn...what a fool you are if you think master cares anything for your ridiculous 'revenge' against this Ghoul Lord...'_ he stopped for a moment to see Bane come out on a rooftop several feet from him on the street below _'My master wants Kurosaki's body...not your useless carcass, I will enjoy returning you to your grave once this is over and this world crumbles before my master like all others before'_

He decides to watch Bane for a while and plans to personally make his father watch him die "Little Wolf, think you can fly?" He smiled evilly as his blue eyes shone as he could sense two former/formerly human Ghoul Hunters coming from God knows where and smiled...it may help his master's plans

* * *

 **A/N - Nic and Richie draw that much closer to the Ghouls, but can Nic be persuaded to to go into a bladed frenzy upon arrival and this newcomer seems to know Kami well and maybe better than J'onn does but will he go after Bane with the possibility that Kami would come after him and what will he do to Zaheer when they meet (Zaheer has met him before but he never wished to talk to Zaheer or J'onn, for that matter). He remembers being Ryujin as a dream but not fully who he truly was. R &R as things get hot when these three forces collide.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Be Very Afraid of the Dark**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Nic and Richie, after a few hours of combing the forest, found the city by an old sign that was, like the city itself, in a sort of glamour that only Ghouls and certain humans that were the children of a human and a Ghoul but remained human could see. Nic couldn't read very well but was an inherently fast learner, a trait that serves him well against an unpredictable opponent, which many Ghouls were.**

Nic came up to a small sign about three feet tall, made of a stone embued with Demonite, a mystical gemstone that Ghouls are the only creatures adept at finding and using in a multitude of ways to use the black gemstone as it was almost harmless to them as opposed to the many effects it has on a human, not limited to insanity and a slow, painful death especially from prolonged (like months to years) contact.

 _'Yume no Machi'_ (The City of Dreams) Nic read one of the many names then scowled slightly as the sign changed to... _'Akumu no Kuni?'_ (The Land of Nightmares)

Richie finally caught up to him as he was greeted with a look both of annoyance and complete confusion "What's with that face, Nicholas?"

"Can a city suffer from an identity crisis?" the swordsman grunted "The name changed from 'Yume no Machi' to 'Akumu no Kuni' in the past two minutes..."

"No, shithead...it can't, obviously" He pointed at the sign again that changed without Nic knowing "this is the true...supposedly current name of this place" they looked at the sign showing the city's current name _'Hoshizora no shita ni kakureru toshi/hoshi kakushi no toshi'_ (City Hidden Under the Stars/Star Hidden City)

 _'Namae: Mā, sore wa orokana namaedesu...'_ (Well, that's a stupid name...) Nic said uncaringly as they walked past the sign, both unknowingly passing an invisible aura that makes the city seem to disappear at night, especially on starry nights, given the name

Nic stopped for a second, seemingly feeling the aura touch his skin but thought little of it as he continued after Richie.

They met with a Ghoul, one of the many 'guardians' of the city that no one enters the city without going through...Zaheer was already in the city and Yang somehow slipped past them, which Kami hopefully hasn't kicked any of their faces in for yet.

The Ghoul looked at them, wearing a silver armor and holding a spear to impail them as Nic's grip on his sword tightened.

The Guardian's eyes narrowed, they smelled like Ghouls but they also smell like they been spilling Ghoul blood all their lives. He steps aside with his usual stoicism, but knew if they caused trouble...they'll be evicted or killed "Enter...welcome" he grunted as they entered but Nic was still watching him as he nodded and smiled and went his way.

Luckily they smelled more like Ghouls than humans or the Ghouls they've killed as Richie pointed at a shop "We should get some tea...Ghouls seem to love tea as much as Humans" Nic shrugged and looked away, he didn't fancy tea half as much as the Ghouls or Richie did replying "Whatever..."

 **They got tea at a barista, much to Nic's disdain as he wanted Alcohol and a lot of it...but if they didn't go looking for trouble...it would certainly come looking for them...**

"Two cups of coffee, please" Richie smiled charmingly to the beautiful co-owner as the owner who happened to be her husband looked distrustful as Nic's attention was on everything but them as the male Ghoul said "coming right up..." though his tone said 'fuck away from my woman' loud and clear to Nic who smacked his partner upside the head

"Stop...pick a type, Tsundere Ero-baka..." Nic snarled and smiled sadistically at the husband with a look no one messes with "She isn't yours..."

"Beautiful's my type..." Richie said, only for the back of his neck to sting from another harder slap from Nic _'Don'na josei mo minikui ka utsukushī kamo shiremasen'_ (Any woman could be ugly or beautiful, ya perverted simp)

But Nic's warning went on deaf ears until he started wondering which of them were actually the deaf one as Richie kissed the back of the woman's hand...something that had the few other men around them gasping as they'd lose their head long before even thinking of this.

The woman chuckled "How sweet..." she caressed his face before yanking his ear and pulling his face inches from her lips "I appreciate the gesture but my husband...well, I suggest you stop as he's already in enough trouble with the Ghoul Lord for castrating many of our male costumers"

That broke Richie out of his harem as he immediately held his crotch and looked at the bloodthirsty husband who licked his lips with his head down slightly and a large sword that looked like a giant butcher's knife at his side

Nic bit his lip as he signed to the husband _[Thanks for the tea and sorry for my idiot partner's misunderstanding...]_ the husband had no idea how to use sign language but nodded at Nic's apology as he proceeds to drag Richie away.

 _'This better not be a habit while we're here, Rich...'_ Nic thought as he saw the hooded man come up one street and walking down the one that lead to Kami's home, all the while never breaking eye contact with Nic.

"Ni-oof!" was all Richie could say before Nic smacked his body on the ground like a brick and went after the hooded man the second he was out of sight "What the hell has gotten into you?!" He persued, knowing that if it was what he thought it was, he knew he won't make it to stop the much faster, bloodlust consumed Nic.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, with Bane...He was alone with Zaheer on one of the balconies of Kami's home...Kami was in the house meditating and Bane didn't want to bother him as much as he preferred not to be alone with Zaheer or not knowing where Taeger is as he seemed out to kill him.**

Kami was in his living room, meditating on what the hell next to do as he allowed Bane to leave as long as he wasn't disturbed, so Bane explored until he made it to the balcony and could see just how beautiful this city was.

He chose this time to practice what he heard Scar as well as Kami mention were his mother's clan's, therefore also his, ability of shadow manipulation.

Zaheer sat against the wall on the floor, he didn't trust the look in Bane's eyes and Bane didn't like the good bone in his body but they had to stay with each other unless they wanted Kami's unpredictably bad mood to be taken out on them.

Bane's shadow crept closer to Zaheer's feet but he removed himself from the equation by avoiding it "Watch it with those things!" Zaheer jumped to the ceiling and when Bane doesn't respond, he throws a blade at him, the shadow formed a hand and caught the blade before it hit Bane though and this was just what he was capable of subconsciously.

The shadows returned to Bane as he woke up and Zaheer thought _'So if this is his level of ability while unconscious of it, I'd hate to witness what he able to do while actually conscious of it'_

Bane heard something and so did Zaheer, who didn't show it "What's going on out there?" Zaheer said as Taeger's voice said "a fight, isn't it obvious?"

"Do I even want to know what you're doing up there?" Bane asked as Taeger smiled evilly "It's best if you don't know..." he was right above Bane's head.

* * *

 **With Nic...he could tell this was no ordinary Ghoul or swordsman he was dealing with, as neither have been able to touch each other and Ryujin was only toying with the human, not fighting at anywhere close to his full potential.**

"Such skill...for a human" Ryujin smirked darkly as his eyes seemed to slow down time and move fast in various directions, blocking all attacks with ease "Fast...but still too slow, little human"

Suddenly, the marksman Richie caught up and somehow landed on Ryujin's shoulder with his guns in his face "you're mine now, baka" he grinned as he shot him in the face.

That gave Nic enough time to get past him and notice the three Ghouls as he threw his bladed weapons at Bane.

Bane shut his eyes and heard the blades piercing flesh as he felt a shadow over him, looking up to see Taeger over him with both arms around him but not touching him as the blades landed mostly in his left arm as he growled, his temper growing shorter every second

"What the-were these made out of nail clippers?" Taeger was outright disgusted as he snarled and nearly threw the young Ghoul off the balcony in his rage ' _Michi o hazureru!'_ (Get outta my way!)

Taeger charged and headbutted Nic in the chest and knocked him back before stomping Ryujin in the face as he stumbled back, quickly recovering, rubbing his jaw to make sure it was still there as Taeger stood before him, a gold aura around him as Nic had already slipped past Bane without him noticing.

"Where'd the other one go?" Bane asks as he saw Nic was now inside the house, throwing Zaheer across the room then running out to find Kami.

"No!" Bane went after him but he was fast.

* * *

 **Elsewhere in the house, Kami was meditating but not as deeply as he told Bane he would...meaning he could hear everything going on outside where Taeger was and was planning a trap for anyone who came in here after him, clearly even Bane why he kept him occupied with Zaheer so his curiosity wouldn't bring him here.**

Nic smiled as he saw Kami meditating, this meant he could kill him easily without having a fight on his hands...little did he know, a meditating Ghoul is equally as dangerous as a starved Ghoul especially masters of Dark Magic like Kami as he silently walked up behind him and prepared to ram his sword through his back...no Ghoul can touch his cursed sword without being burned but Bane entered as he went into his wolf form and went on his knees between two dangerous forces, his master and Nic's sword aimed between his eyes.

Bane also connected the three of them by their shadows, paralyzing Nic and trying to make him let go of his sword...this wasn't easy with Nic's overpowering will.

Bane began howling as the sound bounced off the walls at a volume that Ghouls don't seem to hear at but is deafening to a human

Wolf-Bane's eyes widened as he thought _'Wait...it's not working, otherwise he'd be unconscious by now'_ as Nic rose his head with the most shit eating, extra sadistic grin on his face "Nic-san's deaf as a bat is blind...and you're dead" he chuckled as he pointed at his ear before stabbing both Bane and Kami through.

Nic frowned...he couldn't sense magic but the temperature in the room suddenly sky rocketed and he felt like his lungs were being toasted as he was being burned from the inside out as Kami disappeared and was standing behind him with his blue eyes glowing and the only thing visible on his head _'Nani ga mondaina no? Anata wa kowakunai nodesu ka?'_ (What's the matter...you're not scared, are ya?) He said as he signed the same thing, knowing the man was deaf by Bane's failed attempt to stop him that should've worked

 _'So this is the power of a Ghoul Lord compared to the ones I've come across before...'_ Nic thought as he rolled out of the way of Bane's attack without looking away from Kami who simply put his hand to his face to summon his mask, the mask of a demon then point at Nic before snapping his fingers.

* * *

 **Suddenly, Nic was facing Bane again as if nothing had happened though Bane's arms and Nic's whole body felt like they weighed tons.**

"What-?" Nic questioned as Kami looked back at him with a sadistic smile despite how much disdain he had for his meditation being interrupted and explained "It's an illusion...you were under it the moment you entered this room..." Kami's eyes glowed "you haven't answered my question of who sent you to kill me yet...and forget about getting out of this city alive"

Nic decided to run out of the house, his mind still doing backflips from the very realistic illusion as he fell unconscious mid air once he made it outside.

"Nic!" Richie watched as Nic landed on the ground face first as he said "Ghoul Lord...next time, there won't be a next time for you"

"Interesting..." Ryujin said as he disappeared though a portal before Taeger could stop him and Kami and a barely conscious Bane came out. This pissed Taeger off even further as he wanted no one hurting Bane but him. No one.

Richie lifted Nic to his feet and supported him as they jumped thorugh another portal, probably provided by their client and escaped to a town outside the city.

"Don't go after them..." Kami said as Taeger snarled "What?! I'm going to make those fools suffer"

Kami walked up to Taeger with a glare "You. Wouldn't. Dare" he warned almost dropping Bane "...besides, there's nowhere they can hide from me now"

* * *

 **Later that day, Kami kept a meeting with Bane, Taeger (with Nic's blades still in his arm), Scar, Tsujin, Raimundo, Yamamoto and many other Ghouls.**

"Why are we here?" A curious Raimundo was the first to ask as Yamamoto leaned against a wall, no longer wearing his usual attire that hid his identity, showing his white hair and calm as they were dangerous eyes "We'll find out soon enough..." he looked at Taeger's arm and wanted to ask but resisted as he was bound to find out, but not from Taeger himself.

Scar leaned against the wall "So...is that a new fashion statement?" He said mockingly to Taeger who glared at him "Would they have looked better in Asakura's face...I highly doubt you'd be any more grateful about that"

"Enough, you two lovebirds" Tsujin said "we'll all have our questions answered soon enough"

"It seems that I was almost assassinated by two humans..." Kami said as everyone was surprised besides who were actually there as Yamamoto says "So, that explains Taeger-sama's arm"

Taeger shrugs "at least someone here isn't a _complete_ idiot" as Kami continued "I assure you...they're not our biggest threat now that I know what they look like, they won't risk coming after me here again"

"So, you're not sending anyone after them?" Raimundo asked as Kami replied "No...not right now"

"It's the third man, the Ghoul who was more of a threat" Bane said as he looked at Kami "he looked just like you, master...only older"

 **This had everyone's eyes turning to Bane, including Kami's**

"He seemed to be after you, Asakura...as to why, well your guess is as good as mine" Taeger said "he seems to know the city very well and might still be here, doesn't seem too keen of your assassins though as they were fighting first how they got our attention"

"He might know where my master's hiding then" Kami mused "he is to be captured and interrogated...but one to be wary of all the same."

"I also have a request, Kurosaki" Taeger stepped forward "I want my magic back, but on two conditions..."

"Regaining a Ghoul's magic isn't an easy task, Taeger" Kami said as Taeger rolled his eyes "Tell me something I don't know..."

"What're your conditions, Master Taeger?" Kami's mood was getting worse as Taeger pulled the blades from his arm "I want Asakura-san and Salazar-chan present to watch and her brother to _not_ interfere"

"Granted...we'll need you with Magic to get back at that man who was after Bane" Kami said as Scar snarled "What?!"

"Touch her and I'll make sure you spend an eternity in the Crypt" Scar warned as Taeger gave a similar warning "Please, you couldn't do that even without my magic and she belongs to me anyway, or have you forgotten that?"

"So Taeger's getting his powers back...this should be interesting" Raimundo smirked as Yamamoto looked at Taeger "Hmph, to you maybe but I still think he's up to something, just wait until she learns about this"

"At least Bane's there...he's also very powerful" Tsujin said as Scar replied "He is...but no one is in the same league as Taeger"

"Not even Lord Kami?" Bane couldn't help but overhear as Scar shrugged "Kami, yes but only those who are allowed in with Taeger are allowed to be there when he's getting his magic back...your master isn't allowed, I'm afraid."

"Brace yourself though, getting back or getting rid of your magic is an excruciatingly painful process and no matter what you think, you are not to intervene" Scar explained as Taeger snarled "I'll kill you myself if you intervene...then Lord Kami's taking you, me and a few Hunters on a Hunt...I'll be hungry after getting my powers back"

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Nic and Richie make it back to Tokyo and their temporary home away from home...Nic was not pleased that they were forced to run and Richie is usually on the business end of said punishment.**

Nic and Richie made it back to a Hotel owned by Richie's family, a far cry from the Estate both were raised on but Nic was always grateful and never complained unless he was hungry, unlike the spoiled brat Richie was.

Richie walked behind the swordsman, who was unusually silent...even for someone who rarely speaks like him which only meant that he was pissed and wanted to stay and fight Kami, who almost killed him without even raising a finger.

"Nicholas...you know if we stayed there, we would've been killed, right?" Richie was sick of the silence as Nic simply glared at him over his shoulder and walked faster.

Nic didn't care much for excuses and apologies when he fails a mission, as rare as it was for them to fail. This failure was not coming out of his hide, he was sure but someone will pay.

"Nic...I'm sorry" Richie said calmly as Nic's head dropped and his fist clenched so tightly that he was shaking, causing Richie to pull back unless they wanted to do it out here.

 **The assassins made it to the hotel and was met with silence as if everyone could sense Nic's bad mood as he simply raised his hand to the girl at the counter that he liked and caught the keys to their shared room.**

They made it to their room as Nic leaned against the wall and Richie unlocked the door and the only sound Nic made was a tired yawn as Rich enter and Nic slammed the door with enough force that people downstairs were startled.

Richie watched as Nic tossed his sword and his blades on a chair but didn't see the punch coming to his face as Nic lets out his fury on him, kneeing him in the gut before throwing him across the room. The Hotel had enough magic to take a beating from a hundred angry Ghouls although very few staff even knew that as Nic was the one to cast the spell.

Richie snapped and headbutt Nic in the face, angering him further as he headbutts him harder and had him dizzy.

They then rolled around the ground choking each other until they heard a knock on the door, to which both snarled "Go away!"

Nic and Richie then both went for their weapons as Nic's sword was at Richie's throat faster than Richie's gun could get to his temple as Nicfinally toppled over from what Kami did to him and was writhing in pain from someone as powerful as Kami just entering his mind

Richie went to his side "Nic?" As help came into the room in the as they tried to break the spell on his mind and alleviate the pain.

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Ryujin made his way through the forest...he was heading to where J'onn was and knew that although he had failed, his master will not do anything to him as unlike J'onn, Ryujin never gives up. He'd just passed by a bar to drink enough alcohol to kill a herd of horses and upon making it to the home he was forced to share with the former Ghoul Lord, sensed the Killing Intent inside...he wasn't bothered as J'onn wasn't** _ **his**_ **master and never will be.**

 _"You've returned"_ Ryujin heard the Ghostly voice as he shut the door and immediately bowed on one knee in the dimly lit, old house that Kami would never expect them to be in "Yes, Master..."

 _"You've also failed...did the Ghoul Lord see you?"_ The entity known as the one said coming into view as he kept J'onn's body in a catatonic state in the air using telekinesis as Ryujin said "Yes, I failed due to being interrupted by two assassins sent to kill the Ghoul Lord...they were formidable, for low class humans but the Ghoul Lord did not see me"

 _"Sent. By. Who?!"_ The One snarled as Ryujin shook his head "I do not know..." he hid a smirk at J'onn's condition, his master must be furious with him if he's trying to send him back to his grave so soon

"The Ghoul Lord's new apprentice saw me though...so powerful for someone so young" Ryujin said as the One snarled _"Then you will kill him and bring Kami's body to me intact and alive"_

"If that is what you wish, it will be done, my lord" Ryujin nodded as The One snarled _"We will kill him, not you"_ The One phased into Ryujin's body as he opened his eyes, which were black as night and smiled evilly "Yes, my master..."

* * *

 **Ryujin, with The One in his body then left J'onn where he was, little did they know he was listening and was quite unhappy as to why Yang wasn't there yet...speaking of Yang, he was being hunted relentlessly and tirelessly by Kakuzu since leaving the city.**

Yang headed into the deepest part of the Dead Forest, which was a neighborhood all it's own where the locals took the law into their own hands as he hid from Kakuzu.

He had to persuade the Bounty Hunter to leave him be, but the possibility of that happening or that he'll even listen at all were low

"How much will it cost for you to drop this and stop hunting me?" Yang dared to question as Kakuzu stopped and thought for a moment "Hmm, your life sounds like a fair wager if you're actually desperate or dumb enough to wager with someone like me"

He shot a large fireball at Yang, who evaded after being raised by someone equally adept in Fire Magic.

"You really are insane...aren't you?" Yang growled "I have somewhere I must be...and you're not invited" he shot a blade of wind at the old tree branch Kakuzu stood on as the Bounty Hunter simply laughed "Haven't heard insanity is bliss?!" He stepped behind the trunk of the tree and was gone before he was hit.

Yang looked around feverishly, it was unlike the Bounty Hunter to just give up like that as he actually felt the sadistic grin come onto Kakuzu's face as Kakuzu's arms came out from behind Yang and grabbed him tightly so he couldn't break free from the 7 ft tall Ghoul "That trick I learned from your boy...I entered his mind when he looked into my eyes without him knowing" his grip tightened as Yang heard a beating inside the Bounty Hunter's body "How do you know my son and what's that beating?"

"Oh, I forgot you can only hear one heart from a distance..." Kakushi could see the worry on Yang's face "I have nine hearts...I hope yours can be the lucky number 10, the only gift I'm willing to take from your master" he reached into Yang's shirt and felt his heartbeat

Yang flipped Kakuzu over his shoulder, onto his back and ran very fast "You monster..." Kakuzu made a great leap and landed in his way "We're all monsters on the inside or the outside..." he snarled, still calm as the last thing Yang wanted to do was anger him as he started pounding him into the dirt "He is a member of the Asakura Clan, after all...the clan of Shadow stealers, wielders and the sort...It is in his blood, like his mother's before him"

"Don't talk about her like you know that weakling!" Yang and Kakuzu began fighting, but it was obvious that Kakuzu was the better fighter with little effort as he snarled _'Dare ga saisho ni utsukushī otome no ikotsu o maisō shita to omoimasu ka?'_ (Who do you think buried the remains of the beautiful damsel in the first place?) Kakuzu began hitting him with enough force to shatter bones "I'll break you apart piece by piece, Yang...I want your heart while the rest of you is highly expendable"

"Kami's too naïve...he wouldn't kill me or he'd done it himself by now" Yang smiled as Kakuzu cut him off "I'm sorry you couldn't see the look on his face when you left then...I praise your old master's restraint with you but you'll get no such thing from me"

* * *

 **A/N - Nic and Richie retreat after a near death experience with Kami while he ponders if their other visitor is in leagues with J'onn, who was being tortured by the former King of Demons, The One, for failing to acquire Kami's body...meanwhile Kakuzu corners Yang and wants his heart after he is returned to Kami alive mbut Kakuzu's loyalty is known to waver, can Yang persuade him to join him before he's torn limb from limb? R &R and we'll see!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Be Very Afraid of the Dark**

 **Chapter 9**

 **Kakuzu is determined more than usual to get Yang and return to the city as Yang was to get away and NOT lead him to J'onn.**

"It would be very nice of you to leave me alone..." Yang snarled "I'll do whatever you want"

Kakuzu looked ticked off now "Nice...?" Before grabbing Yang and choking him in the air with one hand "I think you have me very confused for some friend of _yours_ , no less...I don't have a nice bone in my body"

Yang kicks Kakuzu hard in the jaw and used his momentum to free himself then took off.

Kakuzu rose a bit later and rubbed his jaw with a crossed look on his face...then he thought about it, as he could still sense Yang and wasn't planning to let him get away with the things he's done as the only thing Kakuzu found as a bigger disrespect than trying to bribe or rob him out of a pay load is a student dishonoring their master and betrayal was a big no-no as well as he thought _'Kami, you're lucky I hold such high regards for you...from one master to another, I'll try my best to honor your wish to bring this scoundrel to you alive, as I need that heart of his alive and beating as well when I make it mine'_ he went after Yang and exited the forest.

That was when he sensed a powerful magic that could put Kami's to shame and it was dropping like a stone...someone was there that Yang seems willing to protect and that makes Kakuzu all the more curious...

* * *

 **With Yang, he was sensing the same magic as Kakuzu but knew the only person that knew of this place other than himself was J'onn, that was when he saw it...the former Ghoul Lord and his master's old master was in chains with a strange...entity whispering a dead language in his ear. It was an Angel of Death that came to take him back to the afterlife...basically it was death itself.**

Yang could hear his breathing before he could even see J'onn, who was left in a horrendous state as he almost thought of betraying him and leaving him there to die...but they both still had something the other wanted, as Yang could get J'onn much closer to Kami without much killing than if he tried get to the Ghoul Lord himself and J'onn had the one thing Yang craves...power that he plans to make his before J'onn dies as he also smells charred which is weird with his immunity to Lightning and Fire...

 _'Anata wa tawagoto no yōnimieru'_ (You look like shit) was the first thing Yang could say once seeing J'onn as he chases the Angel of Death away from him and tried to lift him to his feet as J'onn's eyes open with a very visibly painful wince as he replied sharply "Late...as usual, jackass"

"Don't make me drop you, old man" Yang grumbled as he wasn't in the mood for an attitude "What the hell...happened here?"

"I've been keeping many places other than here hidden from my master...I didn't realized I was followed and my master...was more than a little upset" J'onn explained as Yang replied "by the looks of things...he was beyond pissed with you"

 **Just then, Yang remembered that he was being perused by Kakuzu, but he couldn't sense a trace of the Bounty Hunter's magic now...which was all the more unsettling**

Kakuzu suddenly stepped in the way of the only door in or out of this place with his arms folded and Yang could feel the grin hidden under his mask "Well well, getting you was the only part of my contract, but I can only imagine the reward for Lord Kami's old master" the thrill was as evident as the feint sarcasm in Kakuzu's voice as Yang began shaking.

J'onn simply glared at him from the corner of his eye, he would live but his punishment from The One was only starting once Ryujin returns as he said "Yang...you're an idiot, forgetting that Kakuzu, of all people, was after you"

 _'Dakara, kyōryokuna mahō ga dete kita no wa anatadatta... Futari ga koko ni nokotte iru yuiitsu no hōhō wa, watashi o kaishite, rukario-sama'_ (So it was you that powerful magic was coming from... the only way you two are leaving here is through me, Lucario-sama) Kakuzu sounded both amused and annoyed and knew that he was testing Yang' s nerves by the look on Yang's face. Not that he cared in the slightest

* * *

 **A second later, Kakuzu is shot into the air by Yang and lands on his back with a painful thud and Yang sprinted to get away with J'onn on his back, his limbs were intact but due to being in chains, his wrists and ankles were burned as a painful reminder and he couldn't walk as Kakuzu wasn't far behind and probably even more pissed off. Back in the city, Bane was with Taeger as he prepared himself mentally to get his powers back, the process called re-enlightenment was harsh but not without it's rewards...once done, no matter what thoughts Taeger may later have, he can never lose his powers again by the procedure that took them in the first place, called de-enlightenment or any other means besides if he dies.**

"So...how does one go about losing their powers?" Bane whispered knowing Taeger would hear him as he turned and regarded him with a cold stare "So young...so stupid, I won't tell you that... if it's painful enough that I survived only by the skin of my teeth, even with prior knowledge then you will surely die or kill yourself since your still too naïve"

"I am not that naïve" Bane said as Taeger smirked in a way Bane didn't trust "Bind my wrists then...we must leave soon" he presented his wrists to Bane, who glared "No, baka"

Kami, who'd been so quite that even Taeger forgot that he was there even finally for a while, spoke up "Do it, Asakura...at some point, Taeger will try to escape and this prevents this"

"Cuffs that stop magic doesn't necessarily work on someone without any, master" Bane argued as Kami glared at him "Quite knowledgeable of you, but don't argue and do it...you'll be glad you did later."

"Not yet..." Taeger said as they left "I don't want to leave your student unimpressed...Kami-san"

"You're trying to impress my student...?" Kami didn't know what to say or think "He has only one master, Alphonse and that's me...be careful to remember that"

"Keep up..." Taeger said to Bane as he nodded and both disappeared.

Once they were gone, Kami's smile disappeared fast...one of the presences he sensed when he was almost assassinated had reappeared in the city but disappeared very quickly...not quickly enough for him not to notice a drastic difference but eerie similarity to his own power

 **Taeger and Bane made it to the Binge Eater side of the city, to a large house...there they met Scar, who was less than pleased to not see Taeger in chains as two voices inside...the male trying to persuade the female and they weren't quiet about it, to the point where Taeger wanted to intervene...**

"Ryuken..." Taeger said as Scar leaned against the stone wall with his arms folded and a scowl that got worse at the very sight of his former master "Go jump off a cliff, Taeger...I don't care what Kami says, I won't let you hurt her"

"What's going on in there?" Bane asks as he heard something big being thrown across the room "they sound like an old couple in there" he chuckled as the two adult shot him a silencing look.

 **Inside Scar's two story home, Yamamoto was trying to persuade Yukino Salazar that she had to go with the man who left her for dead and took her brother to get his banished powers...she didn't know or care to know how his magic was gone, but he was better off without it as far as she was concerned.**

"Yuki...you know _he's_ back in the city, right?" Yamamoto chose his words carefully, he knew her hatred for Taeger rivalled even Kami's and Yamamoto himself was neutral... he neither liked nor hated Taeger but didn't support what he did to the Salazar siblings "he bartered with Kami that he should be escorted to get his magic back...by you and Yang's son"

Yukino threw a vase at his head, which he caught and set down on the table...he hated when she got like this as he warned "drop that couch...I won't be paying for _any_ of your brother's valuables"

Yukino hesitated and Yamamoto lunged, grabbing her wrists without hurting her "He has been made to promise not to touch you"

"Like the one he made to onee-san?!" The usually serene Yukino said venomously "Don't mock me...he'll never agree to that?"

"How do you know that?" Taeger interjected as his presence became known "I've been here long enough to hear everything...now come along before I really get pissed, girl!"

 _'Watashi wa sore o ichido itta, soshite watashi wa futatabi sore o iudarou...'_ (I said it once and I'll say it again...) Yukino was furious now as her glare pointed at Taeger, who was struggling not to beat them both to death _'Watashi wa sono meinu to issho ni dokoni mo ikimasen!'_ (I'm not going anywhere with that asshole!)

Taeger pinned her to the wall by the throat "I think that's enough swearing to save us all several friggin' lifetimes, you're coming with me unless you want me to break a promise to Kami not to kill you!" Taeger snarled at Yukino, pinned under his chokehold as both Yamamoto and Scar had a knife at his throat and forehead respectively

"No...you won't" Yamamoto snarled as Scar snapped, standing on the taller Ghoul's shoulders "I'll kill you, Taeger Alphonse...release her right now!"

Taeger didn't seem too bothered by the threats or weapons in his face as he said calmly "Do that and I'll crush her throat _indefinitely_...even if you kill me, my death grip will remain and she'll join _us_ on the other side" Taeger smiled demonically at all of them and even chuckled a bit, they're crazy if they think Taeger was just going down alone or without a fight.

"Come on, let her go" Bane said "we have to leave, Taeger"

 _'Korekara mo, baka baka!'_ (Stay out of this, dumbass!) Taeger kicked Bane hard and although he blocked it at almost the last minute, he was still thrown back _'Watashi wa watashi no zaisan o mōichido miru no ni jūbun nagai ma matte imashita... Anata no chīsana ha o watashi kara tōzakeru koto wa dekimasen.'_ (I've waited long enough to see my property again...now get your little blades away from me before I show you just how insane I am)

"Exactly why I think you're better off _without_ magic" Bane had gotten into his master's habit of speaking his mind no matter what others thought of it "you're strong enough and it is unnecessary."

Taeger lets go of Yukino and barely moves otherwise as he glares at Bane, he's going to punish him severely for those words in due time as he left without a single remark...this had everyone surprised and Scar on edge. He is planning something especially nasty for the young Asakura, which also had him on edge.

"Fine, I'll go just to get this over with" Yukino sighed as she glared at Taeger and massaged her throat before helping Bane to his feet "thanks...but you shouldn't have done that...he really seems to have high expectations of you"

 _'Kare o kōsoku shi nasai... Ima, kawarini watashi o kōsoku shinakereba naranai'_ (Restrain him...right now before you have to restrain me instead) Scar snarled, knowing Bane had Taeger's restraints as Bane followed Taeger outside, Yukino beside him "be careful..."

"We will, onee-san..." Yukino said with glee, she didn't know how very appropriate that would be for where they were going as they met Taeger outside staring at the sky then to them.

Yukino pouted and Taeger looked really sour as he muttered "If you think I'll do this without a fight, you've got another thing comin'...dumb brats" he presented his wrists to Bane and added "put those restraints on me and _don't_ take them off, while you still can...we're leaving"

Bane did as he was told and put the cuffs on his wrists as they started walking. Yukino looked back at her brother and the man she secretly (to everyone but him) had eyes for, Yamamoto "You'll pay for this Hatake-san..." she muttered quietly as Yamamoto's ear perked.

He heard her as if she'd practically screamed it as no one else seemed to and nodded uncaring of the consequence of whatever she would have to say to him when she returned as she caught up to Bane and 'Mister Moody' Taeger.

"Where are we even heading?" Yukino asks as Taeger asked "Haven't you noticed a tower at the edge of the city?"

Bane and Yukino looked at each other then back to him replying "No..." Taeger rubbed his temple "Forget J'onn, you two are gonna be the end of me...we're burning daylight and won't make it there until lights out, keep up."

 **They move fast, avoiding any Binge Eater they could and if they couldn't...Taeger either threatened to beat them to death with their own limbs or the happened to see Bane...all-knowing of what Kami might do if he was harmed until they made it to a Temple that was guarded by Sages, Ghouls that were determined to keep the secrets of the city as just that...secrets, but the city still seemed to have enough secrets left to find still...none as dangerous as these secrets. They are also the ones that Taeger learned to get rid of his powers from.**

"We're here..." Taeger said as Bane asked "Where's 'here' exactly?"

Taeger shrugged "You can't imagine how long I've been trying to learn the name of this place, but these guys are quite determined to die with that and whatever other secrets they're hiding"

 **The three approached the Temple, but when they got too close they were stopped...**

"This place is forbidden!" One of the two guards at the door said as they barred the door, Taeger smirked "We mean you no harm...We're here on business for the Ghoul Lord" Taeger decided to use Kami's title as it usually got them into many forbidden places.

The giant guards looked at each other then to Taeger "We sense no magic in you..."

"Yeah, that's kinda the point of us being here..." Taeger rolled his eyes as they looked at each other again in silence...if they did that again, Taeger was going to attack one of them "Then you may enter..."

The three enter but only Taeger was allowed to pass "You _alone_ shall enter" Taeger looked over his shoulder at the two teens

"Let us pass!" Bane snarled as they weren't allowed to pass "Taeger"

Taeger looked at them, then walked off without any emotion, this was what made most other people angry with him, including Bane and Scar...he was extremely masochist and had no care or value for anyone but himself unless you were useful to him, of course putting aside his past and personal vendetta with Kami and his disdain for other Ghouls paints the picture of a very cold sadist and he won't deny the sadism part either.

"Let me through!" Taeger was long gone but could still hear Bane outside despite no longer being there as he was laid on a incredibly solid stone slab on his back and they stood over his body...they were already aware of why Alphonse Taeger dared to come back here as one of the two men said "Are you ready, Master Taeger?"

"My reputation must precede me...either that or it's finally going to my head" Taeger said as the other snarled "Answer the damn question, goddamn it!"

Taeger leered at that repulsive man, they all repulsed him for that matter but decided to show respect...for now "What do ya think, dumb little dipshit?"

 **They began, Taeger could barely remember exactly how he managed to get rid of his powers but he knew it wasn't this...Lightning, a force of nature that no one could fully control but one of the purest and most lethal forms of Advanced Magic. Within the minute, Taeger's wails of mind and body numbing pain could be heard...it would be nightfall before this was finished.**

* * *

 **Back outside, Bane wasn't going to give up until they made him...especially when he heard that the procedure had started and Taeger sounded like he was in a huge amount of pain, which wasn't far from the truth.**

"Taeger!" Bane screamed as he made one final push past the guards who weilded staves but one kicked Bane in the chest, sending him back saying "Desist, at once" he clenched his fist as his knuckles cracked, these guys knew nothing of holding back and always fought to kill.

"Please, don't..." Yukino pleaded but Bane went into his wolf form and jumped high enough that he would make it past them...they were surprised by this but the same guard that kicked him met him in the air with equal and surprising speed with the heavy armor they wore

The proceedure ended faster than expected however and a bright blue flame shot out of the entrance at Bane, hitting and incinerating the guard instead as his body fell to the ground, dead.

Taeger walked out and pointed at Wolf-Bane _'Dare mo watashi no emono o nusunde shimai, sorekara hanaremasen'_ (Absolutely no one steals my prey and gets away with it)

He sends another blast at Bane as he landed on the ground and threw a large rock at the blue blaze which, to his surprise, froze. Taeger is a master of Fire Magic, his flames always naturally being as hot as Kami's Amaterasu and had pinpoint ain with his Advanced Fire (Black Lightning), he was also able to use Water/Ice Magic extremely well why even his flames were more malleable and had the ability to freeze while still very hot.

He combined his flame with Dark Magic to call forth Black Lightning, which he did and caused Bane to fly into Yukino, taking a large bolt through his body that would have likely killed her, sending close to a million volts through him instead as he managed to growl "Yuki...run" which she did without even needing to be asked...she wasn't as gifted as her brother with his natural affinity for magic...she could use it as well as fight but Taeger, especially a crazed Taeger with his magic and bloodlust returned tenfold was far out of her league. Taeger was holding back, as he wanted to savor Bane's pain, capable of passing two million volts before it started hurting him as well...more than enough to reduce a Ghoul to a pile of ash...evaporating all liquids in the body in an instant. This meant that Taeger knew four elemments of Magic while Kami mastered only two.

* * *

 **Taeger decides to come closer as Bane stayed out of sight that's when they sensed it as Ryujin walked out of the forest before them with applauds making Taeger smile evilly and Bane grimace, even Bane could feel his power had gone through the roof and he could probably sense in from the opposite end of the city. Kami was also sensing it and was on his way...**

Kami sat on the roof of the Library meditating, when he sensed a power similar to his that almost knock him down...he knew it was strong but not this strong the last time he sensed it "Let's see who this Kuro lookalike really is..." Kami said to himself as he left to find his student and Taeger...

* * *

 **Kami made it in time to stop an attack from incinerating Wolf-Bane...then that was when he made his presence known...it was Bane's and Taeger's second time seeing him but Kami's first time actually seeing him.**

Bane wasn't able to touch Taeger even once, if his Fire attacks missed...his fist wouldn't as he had him cornered "Bad...little mutt, I oughta castrate ya" he smiled as he raises his palms to him, glowing. He glanced at Yukino for a moment, he'd knocked her out cold with one blow that she was sure to feel for the rest of her life before looking back at Bane and shooting a large fireball at him that was still growing.

Suddenly a wall of black flames surrounded them when Taeger threw the fireball as Bane looked to the side, not seeing Kami move, let alone confront his old friend already adorned with his Demon Mask.

"Taeger..." he glanced back at Bane making eye contact for a split second "Stand down right _NOW_ , what the hell do you think you're doing to my city, you blithering IDIOT?!" Kami snapped as he kept

Taeger literally flinched and frowned for a moment before smiling "I've got you what you've seeked...the man who was after you for J'onn's sake" he gestured to Ryujin who walked closer as he began applauding...it didn't do wonders for Taeger's nerves "Bravo... So you're the Ghoul Lord my master's so obsessed with...you will come with me"

* * *

 **Screen splits showing both Kami and Taeger's expression to that request as Bane quickly got between Ryujin and Kami and snarled.**

"So you can still stand...?" Ryujin chuckled at Bane who glared at him "Not another...step...closer"

Ryujin stopped mid step and Bane could feel his montrous killing intent as staggered a bit due to it "Don't waste my time, apprentice...you're of no threat to me" he drew his two swords then charged.

Just then, Kami spins past Bane with a kick that parried the crossed swords "Sorry, but I'm your opponent"

"You both are..." Ryujin said raising one finger "Come, boy"

Bane tried to push past Kami but wondered why neither Kami nor Taeger had approached him yet until he saw a strange purple aura on Ryujin and The One floating over him as he avoided eye contact for good reason.

"Something's different about him..." Taeger acknowledged "...those eyes"

"Stay out of this, Bane!" Kami pushed Bane back as the three, without moving, suddenly disappeared.

Trees eventually began being set ablaze by blue or black flames if not minced as Bane felt a presence that no one but him seemed to be aware of as apair of crimson eyes bored into him from behind and black seemed to creep into his eyes.

 _ **"Why...Why do you hold back my power?"**_ A voice said behind Bane as he turned to see his wolf for standing behind him glancing at Yukino then growling back at Bane who replied, closing his eyes "You're not real..."

 _ **"No?"**_ The Wolf snapped _**"Only you can see, hear or sense me... I. Am. You and I'm very real...just wait until the next time you take my body for a joyride...Taeger dies and so does the cause of the very mess you're in, Yang"**_

"No...I'll stop you" Bane said as the wolf laughed _**"You can't...when you'll crave the very same thing!"**_

* * *

 **Time resumed it's normal course and Bane was going to be attacked by Ryujin, not if his master and Taeger had anything to say about it.**

Ryujin alone appeared before Bane and pinned him with his sword to his throat 'This power...there's something upsetting about it' he decided to kill Bane by crushing him to death.

This, however, really got on Taeger's nerves "Ora, I haven't known this kid long but no one is allowed to kill him but me!" Taeger stood on the right, one eye closed and vapor rising from his body while Kami, on the left said "You thought that I was coming with you, but you were wrong, you're coming with me!"

"Preferably in pieces..." Taeger smirked as he said "Get ready, Kuro"

Kami nodded as both fired a large fire blast of Amaterasu and Taeger's _Reien_ (Cold Flame) at Ryujin who flipped out of the way at the last minute but the flames followed him as he looked uncertain of his next move for a while before raising both hands and summoning two portals to whisk the flames elsewhere to some other dimension.

Taeger was shocked but decided to use his Black Loghtning in unison with Amaterasu for the first time "Damn cheat...I only like playing dirty when I'm the one doing it!" He raised one hand as Black Lightning struck his palm and Kami sent Amaterasu at him as a Shuriken he threw as he snarled "Amaterasu: Kagetsuchi" as Taeger's Black Lightning swirled around and joined Kami's Amaterasu, slicing Ryujin in two as he smiled evilly and his body disappeared

"It wasn't him..." Bane said "all of that and it was never the real him?"

Taeger clenched his fist as Black Lightning sparked around his body "Hopefully that sends a message to his master of just who he's messing with"

"We can't allow him to leave this city" Kami smirked at Taeger "...at least not without a proper warning"

A grin spread across Taeger's face as he nodded in agreement then looked at Bane "Can ya still walk, Bane?"

"Yeah, I think so" Bane got to his feet as Kami helped Yukino to her feet and allowed her to ride on his back "We meet back here...make sure he's alive for long enough to talk"

"No promises...his limbs aren't needed if that's all you need" Taeger scowled as the three nodded and disappeared to different parts of the city

* * *

 **Back with Yang and Kakuzu, Yang thought he'd given the heart stealing Bounty Hunter the slip, but drastically underestimated Kakuzu's abilities and overestimated his chances of coming out of this unscathed in his escape with J'onn who was silent the whole time. They were also less than a day's journey from the city and Kami**

Yang had been running for at least a full 24 hours or more from Kakuzu now, he was on his way to one of J'onn's many hideouts that he kept from his master...who was probably aware of them and on his way to them now "I'm tired...both of this chase and running from this overly determined man"

Yang, even in his days as Kami's apprentice has never understood Kakuzu...he didin't know about his multiple hearts due to his ability to lower the sound of his various heartbeats to the point where even a Ghoul had a hard time hearing it or they'd hear it as just one heart...one heart a fraction louder than a human heart.

He eventually stopped to shelter rain in a cave, but could no longer hear Kakuzu behind him "he must've given up or you were too fast for him" J'onn said sitting a bit away from Yang, who was overlooking his surroundings

"I was too fast for him...but he hasn't given up, I can't sense him anymore either but we should hide our magic"

They did this in time as Kakuzu passed them then stopped with a snide grin on his face as both of them decided to calm down enough that it didn't affect their heartbeats, so he couldn't track them that way and never really cared for the conventional means other Ghouls had. This made Kakuzu frown and move on.

Little did they know, he'd locked on to the last place they were heard and set traps for them _'Kore wa anata ga kakurete ita bashodesu ka?'_ (So this is where you've been hiding?) A voice came from the shadows of the cave as Kakuzu walked out and grabbed J'onn who bit him...he showed no reaction "Hm, I'm not surprised..."

Yang became agressive as he jumped at him "Hands off!"

"You're agressive...I like that" Kakuzu said as he dodged every punch and kick as if he was predicting them as his speed surpassed Yang's for a few seconds until he came closer, their faces inches apart and Kakuzu's mask pulled down from his mouth and stared into his red eyes "Enjoy your last moments...that heart of yours will soon be mine"

Kakuzu then did both the unexpected and unthinkable as he pinned Yang by the throat and kissed him...his lips were very painful to the touch of the traitor as Yang biting him caused him to only deepen it intentionally. It was a skill known as the Kiss of Death which he stole from the Chinese Ghoul Mistress on a mission he was given by her some years back that he never told her. He was also interested in both males and females but not Yang as he has the bad habit of doing this when he won't get what he wanted by even beating them half to death and his lovers never last long...ever, as he dropped Yang and glanced at J'onn "We have business elsewhere...J'onny"

"Fair warning...I've been through enough today and try anything and you'll suffer far worst that your lips being slowly melted"

He disappeared quickly and gave Yang a huge way before he could be caught again "Worry not, neither of you are my type...you're quite the opposite but I still want your hearts"

 **Nightfall, Kakuzu makes it to the entrance of the city just as Ryujin/The One makes it there...if Kakuzu thinks he's getting past the swordsman with J'onn...he has another thing coming and that kiss move he used on Yang works differently on everyone, if it works at all but Kakuzu always has a trick or two up his sleeve with a different effects for different durations depending on the victim as it was slowly poisoning Yang with White Demonite...Demonite came in varying colours and effects as Black Demonite drives Ghouls insane in bloodthirsty rage while White Demonite is extremely dangerous and one of the few poisons that is most responsible for the death of Ghouls, Kakuzu's method in comparison to Lady Tsu Chen's has never killed anyone but was four times as painful that they might kill themselves anyway.**

Kakuzu gave a sigh as he saw the entrance of the city, Kami had better have the rest of his money for all he's been through

Something just told Kakuzu to look ahead of him, just in time to see Ryujin appear as he took a 'strategic retreat' from the city

Kakuzu and Ryujin walk past each other as both their eyes met...they knew of each other's ruthlessness and zero tolerance for weakness but even without The One, Ryujin was stronger than Kakuzu who was still no easy foe to kill...or at least the strength he usually shows.

Ryujin simply raised his hand to Kakuzu, who knew what he wanted but turned and walked away "Once I have his heart and we're both paid generously for his crimes...I'll mail what's left to you"

Ryujin reached for his sword as Kakuzu's icy eyes glared at him "I didn't remember asking what your plans were...J'onn isn't entering that place with you"

"Is that so...?" Kakuzu smiled as the two made eye contact.

Ryujin charged, The One taking control of his body as he grabs Kakuzu by the throat and held him in the air "It seems...Master wants your body as well" he struggled out of The One's control but was pulled back under it quickly as Kakuzu felt a strange sensation as the Former King of Demons and literal blueprint for all Ghouls tried to enter his body.

Kakuzu didn't understand what was going on but didn't like it as he kicked Ryujin hard enough in the head that he let go...Ryujin then disappeared with the unconscious J'onn as Kakuzu dragged himself home, planning to see Kami tomorrow.

* * *

 **Back with Kami...they didn't find Ryujin before his escape, much to their displeasure as Bane was now in the Lowlands, a sort of underground place where both sides of the Ghoul's laws meet and home to many prominent names...former home of Raimundo and Tsujin and current long time home of Kakuzu, the powerful Bounty Hunter is known to keep to himself with good reason here and his personality made sure he had no friends...that was something he could do without, though Bane Asakura was the furthest thing from his mind when he made it to his home.**

Bane made it to the Underground as he passed through the large crowds and many Ghouls greeted him with either a hand shake and a pat on the head or a fist that narrowly missed taking him out for daring to bump into them.

Bane eventually saw a head of white hair moving through the crowd and the smell of burning flesh mixed with some sort burning wood as Kakuzu made his way through the crowd and looked absolutely sad but more furious.

True, Bane had no reason to follow the man anywhere and his conscience knew better than to stop him in the streets as he didn't seem to love crowds or nosy Binge Eaters all up in his personal affairs but Bane seemed to notice that Kakuzu went on outings everyday that could kill him...sometimes multiple a day and no one cared, not that he was complaining about it.

He wasn't the nicest or best company but not the worst either...not to Bane as Kakuzu made it past a metal door that he slammed shut once inside.

Bane saw this and his curiosity about what Kakuzu actually does for a living, outside of being a Bounty Hunter...which wasn't as exciting as Bane assumes.

A few Ghouls seem to know what he was up to and seemed to want to warn him against bothering Kakuzu but he wasn't listening.

Bane touched the metal door before noticing that it wasn't locked, almost every Ghoul in the Lowlands were just about as dangerous as Kakuzu himself...so this was illadvised to newcomers like a law, more here than the rest of the city.

The house was small, only two bedrooms, Kakuzu's and the other looked like he never even bothered to unlock the door.

The living room was big enough, with a blue lit aquarium, a scarcely used flatscreen tv and a black couch that Kakuzu was laying on right now.

Bane stepped into the doorway and saw a door that lead to the kitchen, Kakuzu wasn't aware of him yet and he feared what would happen when he did. He also felt like he was being watched at all time no matter where Kakuzu was as Kakuzu rose from the couch he was in.

"Not...another step" Kakuzu warned as as he rose up and walked towards Bane "there's a concept I must teach you...one your master should have already taught you."

Bane was reluctant to get close to the Bounty Hunter, he was already closer than most were allowed by him.

Bane tried to run, but Kakuzu was several steps ahead of him, using Dark Magic to lock the door and every other exit to the house then the door glowed purple for a second, so that even if it was unlocked somehow by Bane or someone on the outside, it was sealed that the door still wouldn't budge or open.

"Nothing painful, just a trick I learned..." Kakuzu said simply as he grabbed Bane's ear and pulled "Did ya know that you're tresspassing...Kami can't stop me from any punishment I see fit"

"Let me out!" Bane snarled as Kakuzu snarled back "I just saw Yang before I got here...I want to see if _it_ has the same effect on you as it did on him"

Kakuzu grabbed his jaw and used the Kiss of Death...the effect was that it allowed Bane to see into Kakuzu's mind and vice-versa.

Kakuzu was stunned...he saw everything Bane experienced since the death of Tsume to now as he let him go and he fell to his knees.

Bane felt Kakuzu's hand on his head "So...that's what happened" he said before growling "Get out...before I make you regret it"

 _'Anata wa shitte iru, anata wa chōdo tazuneta koto ga dekimasu...Watashi wa, seishinbyō o wasurete inai'_ (You know, you could've just asked...I haven't forgotten, psychopath) Bane argued as Kakuzu hissed in growing rage and shot a fire blast at him which he narrowly missed.

 _'Anata ga madade kite iru ma, watashitoisshoni sumāto ni natte wa ikemasen!'_ (Don't be a smartass with me and go while you still can!) Kakuzu said as he attacked and Bane landed behind him only to recieve an elbow to the back of his head _'Anata wa watashi no sukinahito-tachi to matchi shite iru to omouni wa amarini mo karu sugiru yo wolf - brat... Wolfsbane o dasa senaide'_ (You're a little too lightheaded to think you're a match for the likes of me, wolf-brat...don't make me get out the wolfsbane)

Bane got up and heard the remark about Wolfsbane and his name as well as his ability to become a Wolf and grumbled "Okay, I'm going..." he pouted as Kakuzu stared at him "If it's the swordsman you're looking for, don't waste your time...he passed me outside the city"

Bane clenched his fist but left the Bounty Hunter alone, returning to Kami. He was angry to the fact that this man almost killed him twice in the past two days and Kakuzu knew he wanted to become stronger as he mused to himself once Bane was gone "Even the strongest has it's weakness...it's Achilles Heel, yours...Bane Asakura...is too easy. Your lost mother, you master and sorry excuse for friends, if they follow your mother to their graves you'll be broken rather easily."

* * *

 **With Kami, he was extremely bothered by his fight with Ryujin and although he and Taeger had their differences, he couldn't get rid of Alphonse Taeger easily to be alone, neither could he hide.**

"You've given up on hiding from me, I see, Kuro marimo" Taeger chuckled at his attempts at avoiding him "Hiding is futile...so, Bane became curious of where that hired hand lives, huh?"

"How'd you guess?" Kami asked as Taeger scowled "It's Kakuzu...he won't be particularly pleased with a visit from him"

"Would you prefer him interrogating us both about what we may or may not know about him instead?" Kami smirked as Taeger "No...but he is mine to kill, let your Bounty Hunter know that."

"You're not concerned that he might die...you're only concerned that it won't be by your hand..." Kami argued "No wonder he thinks you're a psychopath...he's not too pleased with what you did to the Salazar's either"

"What about this Ryujin character...you think he's a member of your clan, the thousands of people who just disappeared overnight?"

Kami sighed heavily "I don't know if I hope so...but there's a probability"

Taeger poked the side of Kami's head with a raised eyebrow "Probability?" He wondered "the guy looks like your twin, I've never seen anyone other than you and myself with that kind of ability so much in likeness to your Amaterasu and you weren't even able to touch him with it. That's more possibility than probability"

"I need more to know for sure, Al" Kami said "I need more proof that he is my father..."

 _'Kare wa anata no chichioyadearu koto ni tsuite nani ka itta nodesu ka?'_ (Who the hell said anything about him being your father?) Taeger looked at him with one eye closed _'Watashi wa kare ga anata no ani, anata no rōjinde wa nai to iimashita'_ (I said he could be your twin brother, not your old man)

"I already have an idea who my brothers are...this 'Ryujin' is older than you, me and J'onn combined and is more experienced than J'onn as a fighter" Kami looked sad for a moment "he can't be...I have three other brothers and none of them look like him"

 **That was when Bane entered, looking around to make sure Kakuzu hadn't followed him then to the two with confusion...**

"Don't let that madman near me again..." Bane snarled as Kami narrowed his eyes on Taeger who was just as confused by Bane trying to spit something out replying "What?"

"Don't pester the young man, Taeger" Kami scolded before Bane said "Not Taeger, Kakuzu kissed me and something weird happened"

"You're acting like that over a kiss?" Taeger chuckled evilly as Bane explained "it let him see everything I saw when my mother died...I saw him paying last respect to her when he buried her. He wasn't happy...he said he wanted to see it's effect on me like he did with my father"

Taeger was alert by that "kiss him again them...better yet, follow him the next time he leaves the city"

"He's already tried to hurt you...he might try to do more than just kiss you if you go back there" Kami said "See him before he leaves exactly at sunrise to train"

 _'Watashi wa kare to issho ni kunren shite inai'_ (I am not training with him) Bane said with a shudder as Taeger said "No...we just have to watch him, I'll be with you"

 _'Kare wa jibun no ie ni hairu tame no batsu to shite anata ni kisu no shi o shiyō shita ni chigainai'_ (He must have used the Kiss of Death on you as punishment for entering his home) Kami as well as Taeger noticed as Taeger wasn't as amused by it as much as Kami "If he tries that on me, I'll kill him"

"He wanted to test it on me because he used it on my father..." Bane scowled as Taeger glared at him "Well, I'm not your father"

* * *

 **Elsewhere, Nic was still unconscious and due to him liking to be in danger so much, healing magic didn't do much.**

"He should be alright now...but he won't wake up for a while" the healer said as Richie nodded his thanks to the female healers and dared not touch them unless he wanted an unforgettable beatdown

"Maybe I should try mouth-to-mouth..." Richie pondered as the ladies shrugged, they wanted to see his aggressive partner's reaction.

Richie drew closer to the unconscious but most likely still dangerous man to do it but at the last second, Nic woke up

Nic had a confused look when he opened his eyes to see Richie's lips coming to him, he knew he hated a lot of women but he was still straight and found other people in general repulsive and annoying as he clenched his fist to tightly, he nearly popped an artery and warned "Come no closer...Richard" Nic's warning went unheard and wanted to really hurt him as he drew back his fist and punched Richie right in the mouth, making his head almost go through the ceiling "Kiss me...and you're dead!" Nic warned angrily as his eye turned to the healers...he had a habit of hiding out to have sex with them by tricking them and found that his tricks were no longer needed

"Ghoul got in the way of me and target..." Nic said "some foolish kid...Ghoul Lord called him 'Bane'...looked like an Asakura Clansman's kid" Nic knew more about Clans than Richie and can sometimes tell someone's clan by just looking at them

"Or maybe his mother was from the clan..." Richie said as he presented two pictures "there was a death in the area a week ago...there wasn't a sign of forced entry"

"Not a Ghoul from the area...they're too peaceful since they're hiding from the GEC and us" Nic said "It was someone she knew...Ghoul husband?"

"You guessed it" Richie presented three pictures of Yang, Tsume and lastly Bane, who Nic recognised "The mother's body is missing but father and son are still at large"

 _[He stopped me from killing that Ghoul Lord!]_ Nic signed with a growl as Richie said "That Ghoul Lord must've saved his life...this changes my impression of these Ghouls"

 ** _[He's human in these pictures]_** Nic signed then pointed at Yang **_[That's our Ghoul...we need a plan]_** they needed a plan if they had any plan of finding this Ghoul, the nodded in agreement.

* * *

 **Ryujin had finally made it to the hideout and The One decided that he still needed J'onn as the former King of Demons phased out of Ryujin's body and went into J'onn's body, replacing his lost limbs and reviving him to some extent.**

 _ **"It seems you're still of some use to me, J'onn...do not make me regret this"**_ The One said as he moves from Ryujin's body back to J'onn's as his body is healed and his eyes open, sparks of energy in them as he looks at Ryujin.

J'onn and Ryujin may be on the same side, but Ryujin wants him dead as they don't like each other

"It seems the battle is over and the war has only just begun" J'onn says raising his hand for Ryujin to help him to his feet as the swordsman pulled him up harder than expected

Ryujin remains silent as he walks out of the newer house they now reside in.

Ryujin goes deep into the nearby forest to meditate before finally speaking "Kakuzu...finally, a worthy challenger" he smiled evilly, planning to kill the Bounty Hunter next time they meet.

* * *

 **A/N - Kakuzu plans to pay a visit to Kami concerning J'onn and Ryujin, what will Bane think of this after their last encounter and J'onn is back in the game thanks to the mysterious and very powerful Ryujin. Nic and Richie also now know about Yang and what happened to Bane's mother...what does that mean for their plan to kill Kami, with Nic now wanting to fight Bane as well? R &R!**


End file.
